


Over the moon

by harehi



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Bookstore, Bad Puns, Board Games, Dorks in Love, Eventual Smut, Films, First Time, Friendship, Literature, M/M, Romance, Tsukishima Kei is a Dork, college break
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-15
Updated: 2017-01-28
Packaged: 2018-05-20 18:00:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 28
Words: 61,237
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6019701
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/harehi/pseuds/harehi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The tranquillity of Tsukishima’s part-time work at 'The Book Keeper' is disturbed when a violently attractive and aggressively stylish Kuroo Tetsurou walks in.</p><p>/or, tsukki and kuroo falling in love while reading books, watching movies, playing board games and making bad dinosaur puns.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is just a cute kind of fic with awkward flirting dorks who fall in love during college break.
> 
> Also, the novella 'Paper Menagerie' by Ken Liu really is a nice, small read if you're interested; you can find it online to read, too! [Here's the link!](http://io9.gizmodo.com/5958919/read-ken-lius-amazing-story-that-swept-the-hugo-nebula-and-world-fantasy-awards) Also, who doesn't enjoy a very fashionable Kuroo who totally digs quiet book-keeper Tsukishima? ^^
> 
> This was written slowly (and is still being written) throughout my lazy summer holidays from college. I have to go back soon but I'll be updating this while crying through my college work.
> 
> Enjoy!  
> Also, [my tumblr](http://www.harehi.tumblr.com)

Tsukishima’s part-time job at the mall was good - quiet. He worked at the small bookstore called _The Book Keeper_. He was allowed to read during his shifts at the counter and since there weren’t many customers, he was, for the most part, undisturbed. Just how he liked it.

The mall wasn’t very busy on Wednesdays even though it was summer break from college. He was sitting at the counter, headphones around his neck. There were some piano keys and soft guitar strums coming from them, but they weren’t a bother. He flipped through the book in front of him - a short novella about origami animals coming to life called _Paper Menagerie_. He’d read it once before and it was a short story that he liked.

Just as he was nearing the novella’s end, the chimes of the door jingled as it was opened. Tsukishima glanced up from the page and he narrowed his eyes at the intruder.

The customer met Tsukishima’s glance with dark, cat-eyed ones. His mouth curved up into a feline smile, before he turned to slowly stroll around the store, occasionally stopping at one of the shelves, tilting his head to one side to read the spines, sometimes reaching long fingers out to pry the book from its position and taking a look at it before pushing it back in. As he turned, Tsukishima caught the trace of a tattoo which snuck up along the tendons in his neck - black and red ink on his skin. At his elbow, past the rolled up sleeve of his black knit cardigan, prints of that same black and red were etched along the skin of his forearm. Maybe it was a myriad of tattoos that went from his arm to neck - or maybe one singular one.

But what was someone like him - stylishly dressed with his dark mustard coloured tee-shirt and his way of wearing his converse without socks - doing in the quaint and small _The Book Keeper_?

Tsukishima was a contrast to the customer’s attention to style, dressed in a white sweater and black jeans. And definitely wearing socks, too.

Almost like he’d sensed Tsukishima’s curiosity, the customer was suddenly making his way to the counter.

“Hey,” he said. His gaze was definitely more unsettling up close. “This is a pretty cool place, seems all vintage and stuff.” Maybe he was one of those people who took photos of indie vintage places and uploaded them onto his instagram.

The customer suddenly leaned onto the counter with his elbows, “What’re you reading?” Or maybe not.

“ _Paper Menagerie_ by Ken Liu.” Tsukishima answered. He leaned away from the counter to distance himself from the customer.

“Is it good?”

Tsukishima thought about his answer. Why was this guy making conversation anyway? “It won the Hugo, Nebula and World Fantasy award, so take what you can from that.”

“Awards are one thing.” The customer said, waving his hand in the air in a lazy dismissive gesture. He had silver rings around his fingers. On his thumb and his middle finger. “What do _you_ think of it?” The feline smile was there again.

Tsukishima paused. Who was he to have an important opinion to this guy? Why’d this customer even care what he thought?

Despite that, he answered truthfully. “I like it.”

“Why?”

Tsukishima halted again. Gauged. He wasn’t talkative by nature, but he liked thinking about books. He found talking about them nice too. Even if the talking was with this aggressively fashionable guy with black messy hair. “The character doesn’t reach a perfect ending,” Tsukishima started slowly, “he learns his lesson, but he learns it at the end so it finishes with him unfinished and flawed.”

Those dark eyes were suddenly watching him differently after he had spoken. Tsukishima didn’t know what changed in the gaze, but it felt different to be looked at like that. Uncomfortable.

“I’m Kuroo.” The customer said suddenly after a pause. He glanced down at the novella, dark lashes fluttering at the motion. “Can I read that?”

“It’s my copy, not the stores’.”

“I work in the new boutique nearby. I’ll return it to you.”

Tsukishima looked down at the novella. Even if Kuroo didn’t return it, he could always print it off online or something. He held the book out, “Okay.”

“I didn’t get your name.” Kuroo said suddenly as he took it from Tsukishima.

It took a moment for Tsukishima to consider telling this customer, Kuroo, who didn't know him, his name. But then his lips parted, almost as if on their own volition, and he said, “It’s Tsukishima.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Because I detest being spoiled (even if the spoilers are from something I might never watch), I'm putting a note here that there are spoilers from Ken Liu's novella, 'Paper Menagerie'.
> 
> Also, I hope you enjoy this update! I know the chapters are short, but I found that I've been writing this fic in bite-size pieces. ^^

The next day, Tsukishima worked the store again. Surprisingly busy for a Thursday, he was interrupted multiple times from his reading of _Treasure Island_. He’d found it amongst the various books of the store and had picked it up to pass the time. It was a classic, and he’d read it once for high school and had hated having to analyse it for _weeks_. He thought he’d give it another chance. It was good, now that he didn’t need to write essays about it.

After lunch time, the number of customers trickled down until virtually no one came in. It was nearly closing time. Just 10 more minutes.

The music from his headphones feathered around his ears, a soft strum, as he waited out the time.

Just as he let out a small sigh, the bells of the door suddenly chimed.

He looked up.

It was Kuroo – the customer who’d borrowed _Paper Menagerie_ yesterday. This time, Tsukishima could hardly see his tattoos.

But, dressed in a cream coloured knit sweater with a white collared shirt underneath and wearing pale blue jeans and brown oxfords, he was as stylish as he was yesterday.

He didn’t meander slowly through the shop like he did yesterday. Instead, he went straight to the counter and then practically threw Tsukishima’s copy of _Paper Menagerie_ down onto the counter.

Tsukishima raised a brow.

“It was _horrible_.” Kuroo said, with too much exasperation to be taken seriously.

Tsukishima’s lip ticked up at one corner in amusement before Kuroo launched into a ramble.

“You said ‘unfinished’, sure, but that was _not_ what I’d expected. The story’s not even completely sad, but it felt sort of empty – if that makes sense. And yeah, sure you said that he realises his mistakes, but you didn’t tell me that his realisation would be too late!” Kuroo looked up, eyes accusing him of introducing him to the novella.

“It might not have been too late.” Tsukishima responded calmly despite the smug amusement running through him. Surprisingly, he was having fun speaking his own opinion aloud. “The paper animals were made by his mother; they were a part of her left behind despite her mortal death - she breathed _her_ _life_ into them.”

“But Tsukishima, she _died of cancer_! And now Jack probably feels like complete shit for being so hostile!”

A single breathed scoff of a laugh left Tsukishima’s lips at Kuroo getting so fired up about it.

“And now you laugh.” Kuroo said almost exasperatedly, throwing up his hands, “Of course, you’re probably just as messed up as _Paper Menagerie_ is, aren’t you?” He crossed his arms defensively.

Tsukishima’s lips then pursed into an amused expression, interlaced with a hint of a smile, “If you want messed up, try reading _Equus_.”

Tsukishima left the counter and navigated through the small sea of books that was the store, to the play works. _The Book Keeper_ owner let him borrow books from the store all the time since a lot of them were even second-hand books. Lending a book to Kuroo was practically the same thing.

He bent over to scan the shelf where he knew the play was, before finding it. _Equus_ by Peter Shaffer. He took the thin play out with the prying of his finger, straightened up suddenly and then glanced to his side, to Kuroo.

Who had been checking him out – discreetly, but not discreetly enough to cover up his quick glance away from Tsukishima’s sharp eyes.

Tsukishima cleared his throat as a flush of embarrassment ran up his neck, “Done?” He asked, trying to steel his expression even though he suddenly felt self-conscious.

Kuroo’s dark, feline gaze snapped to meet his. For a second, he looked embarrassed at being caught. But then he grinned - smooth and cunning - and took the play from Tsukishima’s hand. Like it had never happened. Maybe he was just looking or zoning out – like how eyes did that sometimes.

“Thanks Tsukki.” He said, “I’ll _ass_ ess this book tonight - ” Tsukishima’s face crumpled slightly at the horrible pun, feeling flames of embarrassment heating up his face. Kuroo looked all the more delighted, “Anyway, I should probably leave you to close up. Seeya Tsukki.” He turned to leave.

“It’s a play, not a book.” Tsukishima said automatically, “And it’s Tsuki _shima_.”

Kuroo only gave him another glinting grin, like a cheshire cat’s, before he was gone and the door bells chimed.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is another bite of the fic for you guys! ^^ Sorry if they're so small each update - I'm trying to pace myself with it so I can read it over and be sure of what I want in it and how it turned out. Also, I'm juggling college and job hunting right now so things are a little hectic :')

“You’re reading?” Kenma asked, voice as quiet as a murmur. He’d looked up from his video game, eyes curious as a kitten’s.

“Yeah.” Kuroo replied distractedly, eyes following the story of the words on the page. He was on their apartment’s couch, book splayed with one hand and a piece of pizza in the other.

“You haven’t eaten much of your pizza.” Kenma pointed out from where he sat at the other end of the couch.

“Ok.”

“Are you listening?”

“Yeah.”

He obviously wasn’t.

Kenma, in retaliation to Kuroo ignoring him, reached out with one of his small feet. His toes poised like a ballerina’s, and then he struck, kicking Kuroo’s arm - the one that held the book- and a small spark of satisfaction ran through him as it fell from Kuroo’s fingers and onto the ground.

“Kenma!” Kuroo exclaimed, dark eyes _finally_ looking up.

“Where’d you get it?” Kenma nodded to the cover. It was called _Equus_.

Kuroo sighed as he bent to pick the book up from the wooden flooring, “ _The Book Keeper_ in the mall where I work.”

“Hm. Do you like it?”

Kuroo folded the book closed and placed his pizza down before he reached a large hand to rub at the back of his neck as he glanced down to his bottom right. _Bashful_. Kuroo was being bashful. Kenma’s sharp eyes and even sharper wit caught the evidence of Kuroo’s shyness - which was a rare thing. He was a romantic trope, after all: tall, dark and handsome and he was _bisexual_ too, like he was allowed to play on the whole court, and not just one third of it (which meant more scoring for him, which Kuroo took complete advantage of). Whenever Kuroo had dragged Kenma out to the club or a bar, he would always use his good looks in his favour without any hesitant timidity. Which was why Kenma was suddenly intrigued. And it wasn’t like Kuroo liked reading anyway - so what was he doing reading a _play_?

“Uh, it’s alright.” Kuroo answered, “It’s kind of messed up actually, which is what Tsukki - the book keeper at _The Book Keeper_ \- told me.”

Suddenly, Kenma knew that Kuroo’s sudden interest in _Equus_ was because of this guy. “Who’s Tsukki?” He asked.

Kuroo looked up at Kenma again. “Er,” he started, “I just told you - the book keeper at the book store.”

Kenma resisted rolling his eyes. “That’s not what I meant, and you know it.”

Kuroo huffed out a breath of air, this time reaching his hand up to rummage through his messy raven-black hair, “He’s fucking cute, okay.” He suddenly blurted out. Kenma raised a brow but didn’t stop Kuroo from going on, “And I don’t even know why he’s cute. He hardly smiles and he always looks bored, irritated or smug, and he likes reading alone in the bookstore and wears these headphones around his neck that always play indie music. He’s blonde and _taller_ than me – by like, the tiniest bit, but _still_.”

“So he’s not like your usual ‘conquests’.”

“Hell no - he’s so _different_.” Kuroo exclaimed, comparing Tsukishima to the playful, easy-going types that he usually went for - like that glinty-eyed, joker of a bartender Oikawa who had recently gotten himself a guard dog boyfriend with spiky hair who had a mean glare.

“I don’t get why you’re so bewildered.” Kenma said with a small shrug. Then: “Kuroo,” Kenma pronounced his name clearly, “you’re _reading_ for this guy - and not just magazines or novels - _Equus_ is a _play_. You _hate_ plays.” Kenma recalled their high school days of reading _Death of a Salesman_ and with that, Kuroo’s endless complaints about it and his bartering with Kenma for his homework and essay tips.

Kuroo groaned, before leaning his head back against the arm of the couch, revealing the long column of his throat, “I do hate plays.” He said. And even though Equus was messed up and boring in some places, he was still reading it. So he could go back to _The Book Keeper_ and talk about it with Tsukishima. Kuroo could tell that Tsukishima liked talking about books, liked discussing his opinions about them and reliving them by explaining about them. And Kuroo liked it when Tsukishima talked about books _to him_. Which was stupid, because Kuroo hadn’t read many books since it wasn’t really his thing. But Tsukishima’s face lit up when he talked about them and changed from that stoic expression he usually always wore when Kuroo used to pass _The Book Keeper_ on his way to work, intrigued by the fair-skinned blond who read by himself surrounded by books.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Plez forgive me for the short chapter again - a few (like, a good handful) of the next upcoming chapters will be short as well. :') Also, I'm releasing the chapters as an approximately weekly thing so woo for that upside??? :D
> 
> Anyway, remember that thing where I mentioned that I hate spoilers? Yeah, the play 'Equus' by Peter Shaffer is talked about in this chapter. The play is super philosophical btw if you're into that stuff. If you don't mind that the play gets talked/a little spoiled, then go ahead and read this chapter! ^^
> 
> Also, for those of you who don't know what Equus is about and would like a completely unprofessional summary of it (from me), then pretty much: This kid blinds 6 horses in a stable one night and then he has to go see a psychiatrist because of that. Turns out, he pretty much worships horses - like, LEGIT. He worships this 'almighty horse god' called Equus (hence the name of the play) and the psychiatrist dude envies him because he wished he had that much passion in his life (but he doesn't). The play is all about oppression, society, religion, philosophy and psychology.
> 
> (yeah. It's pretty messed up. But read it if you'd like to! It kinda gets your mind thinking about heaps of stuff)

Kuroo hadn’t visited the bookstore on Friday. Tsukishima didn’t work on Saturdays or Sundays either.

Come Monday, there was an unfamiliar buzz in Tsukishima’s gut. He couldn’t sit still at the counter - like he always did - so he walked around the store, weaving through the shelves. He was partly shelving books, but he was also looking over their titles. Thinking about what kind of books he’d lend to Kuroo next. _If he even wants to borrow more books_ , Tsukishima thought suddenly. _Why’d I give him_ Equus _?_ Maybe Kuroo would think he was a creep after reading it. Tsukishima was silently chastising himself and didn’t hear the bells of the door ring.

“Tsukki,” came a sudden whisper at his ear.

Tsukishima’s shoulders twitched up in surprise, having been broken from his thoughts, before he turned to Kuroo with sharp eyes.

Kuroo was smirking at him, his black hair a nice pair with his stark coal-black tee-shirt with ‘ _adidas_ ’ written across the bottom half, with the _Adidas_ logo right above it, in white. He wore black skinny jeans too, rolled up at the ankles, his feet in black vans. His tattoos were etched along his skin in the same place as they were the first time Tsukishima had seen him, along his forearm and still peeking out from his shirt’s collar.

Then Kuroo was leaning against the shelves, with his elbow resting along one of the tiers. Tsukishima was suddenly aware of Kuroo’s arms and his long fingers.

“You were right.” Kuroo said, “ _Equus_ _was_ messed up. I mean, a kid getting off from riding a horse stark-naked in the middle of the night?”

_Yeah_ , Tsukishima thought, _I probably shouldn’t have leant_ Equus _out_.

Tsukishima grimaced, a minuscule change of expression of his face, “Sorry if it was weird.”

“It _was_ weird, but it was also pretty philosophical. I felt sorry for Dysart at the end, but I thought it over - and wasn’t he just a coward?”

Huh.

Tsukishima had never thought about it like that. “I don’t know if it was because he was a coward, or if he really _was_ unable to do the things he wanted to.”

“Yeah, but ambition is worthless without drive.” Kuroo pointed out, his expression having turned into one of amusement as he watched Tsukishima carefully. Too carefully, Tsukishima felt, like Kuroo was tracking his entire face.

“That’s true.” Tsukishima said. “But Dysart was also the biologically infertile one in his marriage, not his wife. Shaffer used that as a parallel to say ‘Dysart _can’t_ – like, he couldn’t do the things he wanted to _and_ he couldn’t give his wife kids.”

Then Tsukishima was the one watching when Kuroo thought over what he’d said. He had a small crease at his brows and his bottom lip jutted out the tiniest bit.

“That’s a good point.” Kuroo ended up saying. Then he grinned, all feline. “Maybe Dysart just wasn’t man enough - philosophically _and_ biologically.”

A snort escaped Tsukishima, and Kuroo’s eyes suddenly sharpened in on him. Tsukishima cleared his throat to cover up his snort of amusement before he turned and picked up one of the books in his casket to place it on the shelf. He cleared his throat again, “Saying Dysart wasn’t biologically a man is a little exaggerated. He just couldn’t have kids.”

“Some men choose to not have kids.”

“That’s _choosing_ , not being infertile.”

“What about me? I was born bisexual. If I shack up with a guy, does that make me any less of a man?”

Tsukishima paused in his book-shelving before looking at Kuroo. “That depends,” he said slowly and a little warily, “on if you top or bottom.”

Kuroo blinked. It took a few moments for Tsukishima’s joke to hit him, but when it did, he laughed and then grinned. “I didn’t peg you as a crude guy.”

“I’m not.” Tsukishima said, but Kuroo only shook his head as his laughter died into a chuckle.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! There aren't any novel or novella spoilers in this one today.  
> bUT WE DO SEE OIKAWA AND IWAIZUMI AND LEV :D
> 
> Lel, I've started college and I'm already super busy omfg :')  
> It's kind of fun to get back into a routine after a long break of NOTHING (such is my existence).  
> I hope you guys enjoy this update!  
> Also, I'm sorry that these chapters have to be a weekly update thing. If I updated with larger chapters and more regularly then because of uni and other commitments, I'd be up to my eyeballs in work and then I don't think I'd be as content with what I've written.
> 
> xxx

And so Kuroo visited _The Book Keeper_ whenever he could - every free moment that was his, when Tsukishima was there. Tsukishima would lend him novellas that he would read that night or over two, and then they’d talk about them the next time he visited. They agreed on some things, and fought about others but Kuroo loved it when they disagreed - Tsukishima would, with hidden ardour, argue the validity of his opinions. Sometimes Tsukishima would relinquish his thoughts and agree with Kuroo and other times, he wouldn’t. He’d get this pouty looking glare on his face that Kuroo couldn’t help but find cute.

Before he knew it, 2 weeks had passed with him showing up at _The Book Keeper_ whenever he had finished reading whatever it was that Tsukishima had given him. They didn’t really talk about anything else but books, but they’d sometimes ask things about each other.

Kuroo learnt that Tsukishima was doing a double degree of Arts and Science at college, and, in return, Kuroo told him that he was studying Physiology.

They were starting to become friends.

* * *

 

 

“Congratulations on getting engaged.” Kuroo said to Lev and clapped a hand onto his tall, half-Russian and half-Japanese friend.

“Thanks Kuroo - I was so sure Yaku would say no!” Lev exclaimed, looking as if he believed his own words.

Kuroo snorted amusedly and took a small sip from his glass. The _Jack Daniel’s_ whiskey was a warm amber colour – a little like the colour of Tsukishima’s eyes. “As if he would.” He replied to Lev, “You guys are like an old couple always bickering.”

They were seated at the bar they _used_ to frequent together _before_ Lev met Yaku - Kuroo still frequented it. Or, he had, until around 2 weeks ago.

“Yeah, but does one of those elderly people in the couple _kick the other one down_ on a daily basis like Yaku does to me all the time? No! So we’re not an old couple.”

Kuroo’s expression was one of amusement, and he was about to point out that Lev was practically always asking to be beat up because of the things he said, when the bartender interrupted them.

“I haven’t seen you in a while, Kuroo.”

Kuroo looked up to find Oikawa who was (of course) perfect as always. His hair was partly gelled back for the job to make him look more the part but on him, the bartender uniform of a crisp white button-up shirt underneath a sleek black suit vest was _impeccable_. He even wore a bow-tie.

Kuroo raised a brow at him, “Keeping tabs on me?” His voice came out as part-purr. Flirtation used to trickle from his lips like honey, but now, his throat felt like an un-oiled machine. Maybe it _had_ been a while since he’d been out to have a drink. He’d been too caught up and holed up in his apartment, reading.

“You haven’t been here in weeks,” Oikawa said, ignoring Kuroo’s suggestive tone (like he always did), “And you’re _sipping_ your whiskey. What happened to draining the glass and then another straight after?” Oikawa surveyed him with a sour pouted expression, “You used to be fun.”

“I’m still fun.” Kuroo argued, frowning.

“You haven’t tried to pick up _anyone_.” Oikawa said.

“He _does_ have a point.” Lev said thoughtfully, “I mean, there’s a brunette on the other end of the bar who’s your type.”

Curious, Kuroo leaned back to take a look. The woman in question was vivacious, with blood coloured lips and luscious dark auburn hair. She was wearing a red spaghetti top with leather pants that hugged her legs just right. She looked up at Kuroo, sensing that someone was looking at her, and then smiled - all danger and seduction. Exactly what Kuroo liked.

But he turned his head away and went back to his drink, “Nah, not tonight.” He wasn’t digging the darker hair. He wanted it lighter. Kuroo wanted broader shoulders and a sharp, hesitant look - not an inviting one. He wanted black-rimmed glasses that sometimes slipped down a slim nose when reading. He cleared his throat, brushing away those thoughts.

“Woah man,” Lev said, “Usually, you’d be all up for that.”

Then Oikawa was leaning down against the counter, too close and too predatory for Kuroo’s liking, “Don’t tell me you’ve gone and gotten _serious_ about someone.” He smiled - like the devil, but then there was a hand pushing at his face, which lead to Iwaizumi.

“Oi, Shittykawa, if you cheat on me, I’ll dump you for real.” Iwaizumi sat down on the stool beside Kuroo and gave an acknowledging nod at him.

Kuroo glanced between Iwaizumi and Oikawa.

Oikawa had rolled his eyes at Iwaizumi’s antics but he had immediately brightened as he went to make Iwaizumi a drink with the exclamation of, ‘Oh yeah! Iwa, I learnt how to make this new cocktail. I’ll make it for you now to try it, okay?’

Then suddenly Kuroo was hit with a realisation.

He liked Tsukishima.

It wasn’t like he hadn’t fleetingly thought about it before. He’d liked a _lot_ of different people before. But he hadn’t been able to realise the difference between a casual like and a more intimate one until now, watching the way that Iwaizumi acted all brash despite leaning forward on the counter, closer to Oikawa, watching him fondly and intently.

Plus, he didn’t really know if he even _wanted_ a relationship – and if Tsukishima would. That is, if Tsukishima _even liked him like that_.

What if he sucked at real relationships since he was better at casual ones?

He took a large gulp of his whiskey and then placed the glass back down, liking the way that the whiskey turned a golden kind of amber when the light hit it just right.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lel, this is a shorter chapter, BUT. It is also an early update! I'll still be updating this Tuesday but since I've got a day off on Monday, I thought I'd give you guys this :') (even if it is short. Like, super short.)
> 
> ALSO, thank you for all your super lovely comments! YOU'RE ALL THE CUTEST

“What’s gotten you in such a chipper mood lately?”

Tsukishima looked up from his meal and across to his older brother, Akiteru. They’d shared an apartment together since moving out from home. Though living independently from his parents did have its perks, Akiteru was his _older brother_ , so he considered Tsukishima’s business as his own (and Akiteru watched him just as sharply as their parents did).

“I’m not chipper.” Tsukishima said with a small frown.

Akiteru grinned at him, “Well, not usually. But you have been - for a while now.”

Tsukishima chose to ignore him and was about to spoon more rice into his mouth when Akiteru interrupted him again, with a big cheesy grin as he leaned forward, “Did you get a boyfriend?”

Tsukishima’s frown intensified, spoon stopping right at his lips.

“I knew it!” Akiteru exclaimed, clapping his hands together and leaning back, his grin even bigger than it was before - Tsukishima wondered if smiling that big hurt his face. “You did, didn’t you?”

“No, I didn’t.” Tsukishima insisted, placing his spoon back into the bowl a little too forcefully - it made a _clang_ -ing sound against the rim which rang sharp in his ears.

Akiteru suddenly looked at him with a studious expression.

Tsukishima sighed, “I didn’t get a _boyfriend_.”

Akiteru frowned, “A girlfriend?”

Tsukishima’s face crumpled at the suggestion, “No.” He said vehemently; he was definitely gay.

Then Akiteru gasped, face forming into one of shock and horror, eyebrows lifted in his face, lips parting in a gasp, “Did you get a… a _beneficial_ friend?”

Tsukishima rolled his eyes, “I _like_ someone - kinda.” He blurted out, done with Akiteru’s s guessing and gasping. “And we’re friends - at least, I think we are.”

“Do I know him?”

“No. He drops by the bookstore sometimes. We talk about books.”

Akiteru smiled up at him, all warm and endearing, “Will I approve of him?”

Tsukishima thought the question over. He thought of Kuroo’s predatory smile, his immaculate style, his wild hair and the tattoos that covered his arm up to his neck - who knew what other tattoos he had? “I don’t know. Maybe not.” Tsukishima ended up saying. Kuroo wasn’t someone Tsukishima had thought he’d ever end up liking - and he definitely knew that he wasn’t Kuroo’s usual type either.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Someone kill me. College is a hazard to life :')  
> Don't get my wrong, I really like the courses I'm taking - it's just sO MUCH WORK.  
> I guess that's what you get for learning 2 languages at the same time and trying to read and analyse a whole butt-load of variety of texts within one semester though right? *cries internally but also has fun and then feels completely conflicted*
> 
> I hope you enjoy this chapter! Also, Bokuto and Akaashi will soon be joining in!! :D

“So what’s next on the reading list?” Kuroo asked, leaning on the counter across from Tsukishima.

Sometimes it perplexed him why Kuroo kept on coming back to _The Book Keeper_.

“ _The Old Man and the Sea_.” Tsukishima said, the novella already waiting to be handed over, resting on the counter. He picked it up and handed it over and Kuroo took it from him.

Kuroo looked at the cover, “Ernest Hemingway, huh.”

“He’s a classic author.” Tsukishima said. “But knowing you, this one might get a bit boring in the middle.”

“‘Knowing me’, huh?” Kuroo asked, flashing him a grin.

Tsukishima felt a flush start at his neck but he cleared his throat, “You _are_ the one that insists on visiting the store all the time.” In some ways, he did know Kuroo. But he also didn’t know him in many others.

“Yeah, cause my favourite blond works the counter.”

Tsukishima gave him an unimpressed look, “That makes me sound like a stripper.”

Kuroo laughed before he sighed with mock wistfulness, “If only.” he said.

Tsukishima’s face sharpened into a glare that didn’t hold any real bitterness, despite the light flush that spread to his cheeks. Kuroo caught the pinkening colour to them and barked out another laugh.

“Well,” Kuroo said finally and held the front cover up of _The Old Man and the Sea_ for Tsukishima to see, “I’ll get started on this tonight.” He took a step back from the counter, “Seeya tomorrow, Tsukki.”

He turned and had walked nearly to the door before he suddenly stopped.

Tsukishima studied him curiously, watched his broad shoulders suddenly bunch up before dropping back down again, as he reached up to run his hand through his unruly black hair. Then he turned back to the counter in a smooth and seemingly confident movement, but he seemed a little more high-strung than usual. Tsukishima noticed straight away that Kuroo wasn’t wearing his usual smug face with his shit-eating grin or confident smirk. When he reached the counter and was standing in front of Tsukishima again, he cleared his throat almost self-consciously, “By the way,” he said slowly and Tsukishima instantly felt paralysed by Kuroo’s hesitant tone, “could I get your number?”

Tsukishima blinked, face suddenly going slack.

Kuroo caught the freezing of his expression and then Tsukishima heard him mutter a ‘Fuck’ underneath his breath. “It’s just,” Kuroo started, sounding nervous for the first time since they’d met 2 weeks ago as he pocketed his hands into his jeans, “maybe we could hang out some time - y’know, outside of this bookstore or something. If you want to.”

Tsukishima caught the swallowed movement down Kuroo’s throat.

Kuroo was nervous.

Tsukishima was too.

_The Book Keeper_ was almost like _their_ place since it wasn’t always bustling with customers and it was where they always met. Hanging out with Kuroo outside of the bookstore seemed bizarre to him. Surely Kuroo would have cooler, more stylish friends…?

Nonetheless, Tsukishima replied. “Sure.” He said, doing his best to keep his voice steady.

Kuroo’s dark gaze glanced up to his, widening a fraction in surprise, “Yeah?” He asked.

Tsukishima nodded, “Yeah.”

Then Kuroo reached into the back pocket of his black jeans and dug his phone out. He held it out for Tsukishima to enter his number, watching nervously.

Tsukishima took the phone from Kuroo, his heart beating fast in his chest like a hummingbird’s, despite the façade of nonchalance to his expression. With fingers forcefully calmed from shaking, Tsukishima typed out his number and quickly checked it over twice. “Here.” He said and passed the phone back.

“Thanks.” Kuroo replied and glanced down at the number. “I’ll text you?”

“Sure.” Tsukishima said.

Then Kuroo shot him a slanted smile before he turned and finally left.

_Holy shit_. Tsukishima thought to himself, heart still hammering against his chest. He stood a moment long, frozen, and was interrupted by the buzzing of his own phone on the wooden counter. He picked it up quickly and unlocked it with slightly clammy hands, eyes scanning the message.

 

            From: Unknown  
            yo

 

It was Kuroo, of course. Then his phone buzzed again.

 

            From: Unknown  
            its kuroo, btw

 

Another buzz.

 

            From: Unknown  
            if u didn’t know

 

Tsukishima snorted. He looked up from his phone and to the door of _The Book Keeper_. Kuroo had already left the store, but Tsukishima could see him walking away to his own workplace - the fashion boutique called _BTS_ \- with his hand ruffling up his wild hair, head bent over his phone. Tsukishima felt a small tug up of his lips.

He looked back down at his phone, and changed ‘Unknown’ number to ‘Kuroo’.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This week has been hectic and next week and the week after will only be more hectic.  
> It's 12:17AM and I have to wake up at 5:45AM :')  
> Also, I made brownies so that's a plus! But then again, I procrastinated while making those brownies so ehhh  
> I'm super tired though - I feel like I say that at least 5 times a day to either 1. the same person on one day or 2. like, 500 people on another.  
> I hope you're doing well! :D xx
> 
> btw, [my tumblr](http://harehi.tumblr.com)

It was Saturday when he was sitting on the couch with his computer on his lap, when his phone buzzed. Akiteru was on the couch across from him, actually watching TV, and he glanced at Tsukishima’s phone, momentarily distracted from the stupid reality show that was on, before turning back to it.

Tsukishima stopped scrolling down Tumblr. He raised a brow at his phone. Yamaguchi didn’t usually text him on the weekends and usually called instead.

Picking it up, Tsukishima unlocked his phone with a few swipes on the screen and his home background – a slow moving motion picture of starry, glittering nebulas – lit the screen behind the scarce amount of apps that Tsukishima had.

He went to his text messages to see what Yamagu –

Tsukishima paused.

The text was from Kuroo.

He quickly glanced up at Akiteru, who could read his face just as well as Tsukishima could read books, and tried to tame his expression into something neutral.

He didn’t move his laptop from his lap even though he wanted to bring his knees up to his chest as a wall to hide from his brother. Instead, he read the text as he was, trying to maintain the utmost level of comfort. Any tense constriction of his limbs and weird furrowing of his brows, and then Akiteru would know.

 

            From: Kuroo  
            hey, wanna hang out?

 

Oh my god.

Tsukishima had a sensation of exhilaration pass through him. He wanted to be in his room to bury his face in his pillow. And just lay there. Quietly. For a long while.

He thought a moment about his reply, before typing out a simple ‘ok, when?’

Just as he’d placed his phone back down on the coffee table, it buzzed again.

Tsukishima picked it up straight away.

 

            From: Kuroo  
            whenever. tonight too soon?

 

Oh my _god_.

 

            To: Kuroo  
            tonight’s ok

 

            From: Kuroo  
            cool. wanna watch a movie or something at my apartment?

 

His _apartment_.

 

            To: Kuroo  
            yeah sure.

 

            From: Kuroo  
            feel free to come any time after 4pm. my room mate will be gone by then

 

Then it would be just them. Tsukishima felt a surge of nerves course through him.

 

            To: Kuroo  
            ok cool, just text me your address and apt. number

 

“Are you texting the bookstore guy?” Akiteru asked suddenly.

Tsukishima looked up with wide eyes at his brother, feeling caught.

When Akiteru saw his expression, he grinned slowly and slyly. “You are, aren’t you?”

Tsukishima shut his laptop and placed it on the coffee table as he tried not to feel embarrassed by Akiteru’s suggestive look. “I am.” He said.

“What’re you guys texting about?”

Tsukishima took a moment, but he couldn’t stop the light flush that rose into his cheeks, “We’re going to hang out.”

“Look at my little bro,” Akiteru said, “What a stud.”

Tsukishima shot his brother a crumpled, sour glare, “That’s gross, Aki. Do you even know what a stud actually is?” Tsukishima knew that being a stud ensued sex. _Good_ sex. Tsukishima had had neither. Ever. It was difficult for him to open up to people _normally_. He hated exposing himself.

Akiteru laughed at his expression, “Your expression is explanation enough, Kei. So when are you hanging out with bookstore guy?”

And then Tsukishima’s glare softened back into a bashful expression, “Er, tonight?”

Akiteru’s expression moved slowly into a curved, close-mouthed smile, eyes lidded and his brows wiggling, “You’re a real _stud_ , little bro.”

Tsukishima picked up the throw pillow and _threw_ it at Akiteru.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAPPY EASTER!! I hope you guys got heaps of chocolate :D Even if you don't celebrate Easter, I hope you had a lovely break from college, work or whatever it is that you had a break from! Throughout my Easter break, I did way more procrastinating than I should have though. Holidays make me believe that I actually have holidays from work. It is an ILLUSION OK, do not fall for it like I did. :'(  
> Anyway, to celebrate Easter, I have a longer chapter for you guys! *squees*
> 
> Also, this chapter contains spoilers for the film 'The Breakfast Club', so heads-up for that. It is a really great feel-good film though, if you haven't seen it. :)
> 
> [my tumblr](http://harehi.tumblr.com)

It was 4:30pm and Tsukishima was standing in front of Kuroo’s apartment. There were nerves zipping underneath his skin and he was wringing his fingers, fiddling with them nervously. He raised his hand as a fist and then knocked on the door.

“It’s open!” Came a faint call from inside. It was Kuroo's voice.

Tsukishima tried the door knob. It was locked.

“It’s really not!” He called back through the door.

“Crap, gimme a sec!”

Then Tsukishima was standing at the door, waiting. He went back to wringing his fingers nervously. Maybe he should have come later. Was 4:30 too early?

Just as he was about to condemn every decision he’d made in his life, the door knob clicked open. And then the door was being opened.

Tsukishima remembered one time reading a stupid, raunchy romance book when he was 16 because it was the only fictional novel he could find in his grandma’s house when they went there for the summer. He remembered snorting at the female character’s incapacity to properly function because the ‘tall, dark and handsome’ character was ‘dripping with beads of water’.

But now he understood.

Because though Kuroo was dressed (unlike the novel’s character), he was still ruffling a white towel through his dark hair. He wore a loose black singlet with a stark white skeleton punk hand on it and black skinny jeans, ripped at the knees.

Tsukishima could see his tattoo because of his loose singlet. The tattoo that ran from his neck down to his wrist was mainly in tones of red and black. It started at his wrist, a cuff of black spirals of ink, with a dragon rising from it and up to his shoulder; each individual scale of the dragon was a gradient of red to black and looked like his own skin were made of scales. From the dragon’s mouth at Kuroo’s shoulder, came a puff of fire - a red ember with tones of fiery orange that ended in a stark black outline at his neck and bordered at his jaw. Besides the dragon, his arm was littered with other red and black tattoos - a sugar skull, a rose, small inked designs. His arm was a myriad of tattoos.

Tsukishima had never had a friend who was into tattoos.

He hadn’t really minded them before but his eyes were drawn to them, following the black and red print. Up close, it looked so real that he wanted to trace the lines with his fingers.

But that would be creepy.

He glanced up sharply to meet Kuroo’s eyes and his usual smug expression even more complacent than usual.

_He probably thought I was checking him out_ , Tsukishima thought in a groan.

“‘sup Tsukki.” Kuroo greeted him.

“Hey.” Tsukishima replied.

Kuroo grinned at him, eyes travelling quickly along his frame before stopping at his shirt, barking out a sudden laugh and then meeting his eyes again.

Tsukishima knew very well what shirt he was wearing. At home, he’d wanted to change into a more neutral one _without_ a caption but Akiteru had insisted he wear it - ‘To _break the ice_ , Kei’, he’d said.

Nonetheless, Tsukishima glanced down at his shirt. There was a small pterodactyl in the center of his chest with the words ‘DINO PUNS ARE PTEROBLE’ around it.

“That is a _tee-rexcellent_ shirt.” Kuroo snorted.

“Shut up.” Tsukishima retorted, face narrowing into a bitter glare despite his own amusement.

Kuroo breathed out a laugh before motioning to the inside of the apartment, “Wanna come in?”

“Well, I didn’t come over just to stand at your door.” Tsukishima said sarcastically as he walked in.

“Look at you, sassing your way into my apartment and neglecting my hospitality.”

Tsukishima rolled his eyes almost theatrically as Kuroo closed the door.

He looked around the apartment. The flooring was a light wood colour, surrounded by pale cream coloured walls. To his left was the kitchen – basic, with white marble countertops; on the other side of the counter were tall wooden stools. On his right was a small dining table with a shelf filled with miscellaneous things - some books, video games, DVDs. Further on from the kitchen and into the room was a long off-white creamy coloured couch with a dark brown coffee table in front of it. Across from this was a large TV centred on a light timber cabinet.

The colouring was so light compared to Kuroo’s usual style.

“Don’t mind the setup,” Kuroo said, almost as if he’d read Tsukishima’s thoughts, “my roommate, Kenma, decorated it before I moved in. Or, well, his mom did because he’d have probably just gotten a couch and a bed if she didn’t interfere.”

“Where’d your roommate go?” Tsukishima asked, moving so that he was standing beside one of the kitchen counter stools, watching Kuroo sort through the cupboard. He had such broad shoulders. And his skin was tan, too. The loose black singlet he was wearing exposed too much skin for Tsukishima to be comfortable. When he turned, Tsukishima could see the skin of his side, the muscle underneath.

“He went to hang out with one of his friends. Hey, I’m gathering snacks. Reese’s or Hershey’s?”

“Reese’s.” Tsukishima said almost straight away, looking up. He’d die if he was caught checking Kuroo out.

Kuroo turned from the cupboard and his lips tilted up at him before he was throwing the packet at Tsukishima who caught it not very gracefully (but - thankfully - Kuroo didn’t see because he had already turned back).

“You want Cheetos or Lay’s?”

“Lay’s.”

“And obviously we need redskins and twizzlers for any movie-watching.” Kuroo said before he closed the cupboard with his foot. He turned, arms filled with more snacks than he’d asked Tsukishima about.

Tsukishima huffed a small breath of amusement.

“What?” Kuroo asked innocently. He walked out of the kitchen and then sat himself comfortably in the centre of the couch before he deposited the snacks on the coffee table and then looked up at Tsukishima.

Usually, in couch situations, the other person always sat on one end and he’d sit at the other. But Kuroo sat right in the middle. Tsukishima could choose either side of the couch to sit on, but those options provided no difference in distance from Kuroo.

Kuroo looked up at him, eyes almost predatory - like he knew _exactly_ what Tsukishima was thinking.

Hesitantly, he walked over to the couch. He sat in the closest side of the couch to him, sinking into the cushion slowly.

“I already chose the movie.” Kuroo said as he directed the remote towards the TV. “If you’ve seen it, we can always change it.”

“What movie?”

“ _The Breakfast Club_.”

Something must have shown on Tsukishima’s face because the next moment, Kuroo was raising a brow at him.

“What?”

“Just… Do you have any other movies?”

“What’s wrong with _The Breakfast Club_?” Kuroo asked, “You don’t like it?”

“I haven’t seen it but - ”

“Oh hell no Tsukki,” Kuroo started in on him, “I’ve let you shove classics at me for the last month. _The Breakfast Club_ is a classic that _I’m_ shoving at _you_. Trust me, it’s great.”

Tsukishima raised a disbelieving brow but Kuroo only pressed ‘Play’ on the movie menu.

 

* * *

 

The closing credits started rolling and then Kuroo looked to Tsukishima.

Tsukishima looked at him defensively. Somehow, Kuroo was able to read his face because the next moment he crowed, “Ha!” at him.

“Shut the fuck up.” Tsukishima murmured, flushing. He had been so skeptical about the film before it had started - and he had been so wrong about what he’d thought about _The Breakfast Club_ before he’d even seen it.

“ _The Breakfast Club_ is such a good movie. Admit it, Tsukki.”

“Fine. It is.” Tsukishima relented as he rolled his eyes before he discreetly wiped at them just in case.

“There’s not one word to describe it, is there?” Kuroo mused as he lay his head back against the couch, the credits still rolling, playing _Simple Minds’ ‘Don’t You (Forget About Me)’_.

“No.” Tsukishima answered, leaning against the arm of the couch. “That was such a good ending.”

“It makes me wish there was a sequel. But that would completely ruin the franchise. I wonder if their characters really would socialise outside of detention.”

Tsukishima mulled that thought over before answering with, “I think they wouldn’t - not completely.”

“Always the optimist, aren’t you?” Kuroo snorted, “I think they would try.”

“ _Try_.” Tsukishima repeated, “Today it’d work,” he continued, meaning their present day and age, “but this was based in - what year?”

“1980-something, I think.” Kuroo answered, turning his head to watch Tsukishima speak.

“Cliques worked differently back then to how they do now.” Tsukishima pointed out.

“But what about Allison and Andrew?”

“That’s different because they were more than friends when detention was finished.”

“Then what about the diamond earring? John wore it at the end to keep as a memento from Claire - it was a diamond, not a card like all his other ‘girlfriends’.” Kuroo pointed out.

Tsukishima thought that point over then said, “I guess we’ll never know anyway,” with a small sigh.

Kuroo grinned at him. “You’re just saying that to get out of losing our argument.”

He received a narrowed look in reply.

“Anyway, we should order pizza. If you want to.”

Tsukishima looked at the devoured snacks on the coffee table and then at Kuroo. How was he so fit when he ate so much crap?

“Yeah, pizza’s cool.”

Kuroo laughed. He always laughed - even when Tsukishima thought that what he had said wasn’t even funny at all. “‘Pizza’s cool’,” Kuroo repeated after him.

Tsukishima felt himself getting embarrased as Kuroo got his phone out to order online.

“Yo, what toppings, Tsukki?”

“I’m fine with any. Pizza is flawless.”

Kuroo shot him a lopsided smile, “Meat-lovers it is.”

(Tsukishima had _known_ Kuroo would order that.)

“Oh shit, cheezy crust. Yes?”

Er. Tsukishima glanced away from Kuroo.

“Oh hell no, we can’t be friends if you’re denying _cheezy crust_.”

“There’s already enough cheese on the actual pizza.” Tsukishima levelled, pursing his lips the slightest bit - like he used to do so much more exaggeratedly as a child.

“Are you pouting?” Kuroo asked, voice heavy with amusement.

“Just order the fucking pizza.”

“And cussing right after. You _were_ pouting.” Kuroo looked back at his phone, “So meat-lovers, no cheezy crust. Cool. Just ordered. And now we wait.”

Then Kuroo put his phone down. The movie credits had already finished and so they were left in a sudden silence.

Tsukishima started wringing his fingers.

Kuroo’s eyes travelled down to his hands and he raised a brow, “Nervous habit?”

Tsukishima immediately stopped, “No.” A flush rose to his pale cheeks as he frowned.

“Er, shit, sorry if I embarrassed you.” Kuroo said, ruffling a hand through his hair. Tsukishima suddenly realised Kuroo’s own nervous habit. “I get the nerves though. We haven’t really hung out outside of the bookstore before. Sorry if today was really sudden by the way.”

“It’s fine.” Tsukishima responded, “I’m having fun.”

“What do you do for fun besides reading, by the way?”

Oh God. Tsukishima started wringing his fingers and Kuroo noticed. The reason he was nervous was because for fun, Kuroo probably hung out with his friends, went to parties and did things that were generally considered to _actually_ be _fun_. But Tsukishima was an introvert. He liked solitude - most of the time. He also didn’t want to admit that he and Akiteru played _board games_ to _Kuroo_.

“What? You’re nervous again.” Kuroo stated.

“It’s really lame.” Tsukishima started.

“ _You_ think it’s fun so what does it matter? I didn’t think reading would be fun before you let me borrow your books, but it totally is. What are you nervous about? I won’t judge you.”

Tsukishima was still wringing his fingers when he said, “I like playing board games with my brother.” And shit. That sounded so much lamer out loud than in his head.

“Wait, seriously?”

_Oh God_.

“You were worried about _board games_? Board games are the shit!” Kuroo exclaimed, “ _Dixit_ is my _bitch_.”

Tsukishima snorted involuntarily – a surprised and amused sound, his lips curving up in a small smile as he stopped fiddling with his fingers.

“Speaking of,” Kuroo went on, “I’ve got friends coming over on Sunday night and we’re probably going to play some boardgames. Wanna come over again?”

Tsukishima didn’t reply straight away. Wouldn’t his being there be awkward?

“It’s just two of my friends coming over.” Kuroo put in quickly after he saw the hesitance on Tsukishima’s face, “It’ll be fun. They’re chill.”

A moment later, Tsukishima nodded, lips twitched up the tiniest bit, “Yeah. That’d be cool.” He paused, before talking again, “What about you?”

“What about me what?” Kuroo asked, shifting so that he was facing Tsukishima more head-on.

“What do you do for fun?”

“I like sports - I used to play volleyball in high school but I do more swimming now than anything.”

“Huh. I used to play volleyball in high school too.”

Kuroo looked at him, lips tilting up, “So many coincidences between us, Tsukki." Then a moment later, he said, “Y’know, this is good.”

“What is?” Tsukishima asked, brows furrowing into a small frown. Kuroo found it cute that Tsukishima always did that when he didn’t understand something.

“Getting to know things about each other.” Kuroo answered and he reached a hand up to run through his dark spiky hair.

Tsukishima watched Kuroo do so. In the singlet, Tsukishima could see the definition of his arm more clearly, the skin that was more tan than his own.

Kuroo turned and caught Tsukishima admiring him. Tsukishima cleared his throat and motioned to Kuroo’s hand in his hair with his eyes, “Nervous habit?”

Kuroo grinned, though there was an anxious hesitance in the expression this time, “Yeah.”

 

* * *

 

“Why are you like that?” Kenma asked when he returned back to the apartment.

He had been met with Kuroo lying with his back on the floor, eyes covered by the length of his forearm draped across his face.

“He’s so cute.” Kuroo groaned.

Kenma raised a brow and went forward to the couch before he sat on it.

On the middle block was a box of pizza. Kenma opened it curiously and his expression piqued with a subtle happiness when he saw two pieces left. He reached for one to eat.

“Who, ‘Tsukki’?” Kenma asked, after he had taken a bite.

“Yeah, he came over.”

“You didn’t tell me he was coming over.”

“It was unplanned.” Kuroo explained, moving his head to look at Kenma from the ground.

“So you like this guy?”

Kuroo huffed a breath and covered his face again. He’d only known Tsukishima for a few weeks now but he had fun every moment he spent with him. Even when Tsukishima wasn’t talking or when he had small responses to everything, his expression was a puzzle that Kuroo liked to solve - there were so many hints on Tsukishima’s face. Small ones, like diamonds in the rough. Even Tsukishima’s hostile side was cute. And underneath the appearance was a smart, witty and surprisingly vulnerable guy (which Kuroo didn’t understand _at all_ because pale skin on long legs, blond hair and black-rimmed glasses was a seriously great combination).

“Fuck.” Kuroo muttered, “Yeah. I really like him.”

Kenma’s mouth tilted up into a small smile.

Kuroo realised that Kenma was heaps like Tsukishima, but completely different. And he definitely didn’t feel the same way about them both. It was weird, how he could know one introvert, Kenma, inside out - like the back of his own hand but instead feel more drawn to another introvert, Tsukishima, who was an unravelling mystery to him.

“Good luck then.” Kenma said quietly before he stood from the couch and went to his room.

Kuroo heard the door close and then he huffed out a breath.

It had taken a long while for Kenma to really warm up to him. He wondered whether it’d take Tsukishima quicker or longer.

He wondered how long he’d have to wait.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I would have usually updated yesterday but I couldn't since my internet was being a total loser and wouldn't connect with me and my laptop D: But it's here now! This one's longer, too! AND WE HAVE TWO LOVELY NEW GUESTS.
> 
> Anyway, here is a ref. of what Kuroo's shirt looks like in this pic: [click here](https://images.vat19.com/ask-me-about-my-t-rex-shirt/ask-me-about-my-t-rex-shirt-views.jpg)  
> And The Game of Life is a super fun board game where you pretty much 'play' life; you get a job, a house, kids, a car, etc. And you have to spin a wheel for an amount of spaces you can move forward on the game set. There are also these action cards that you can get, where you actually have to do something/say something to/with the people playing the game.
> 
> Also! I got my first assignment back for the year and all my hard work and toiling earned me a high distinction!! :D I'm so heppy :')  
> Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this one!!! xx
> 
> Also, [my tumblr](http://harehi.tumblr.com)

Tsukishima had been teased relentlessly by Akiteru all throughout Saturday about ‘bookstore guy’ (he was still being called a stud by Akiteru, too).

“Remember little bro, to _always_ _be safe_.” Akiteru said as Tsukishima went to the door.

He was dressed nicer this time since he’d be meeting Kuroo’s friends and was wearing a white shirt with black jeans, topped with a dark green jacket (not entirely stylish, but better than a dinosaur pun shirt). He rolled his eyes at his brother, “I’m not a _stud_ , Aki.” He said before going and locking the door after him.

But he was nervous. He played with his phone, one thumb on the centre of the screen, other fingers holding it loosely at the back, spinning it in his hand. He did this all the way to Kuroo’s apartment, even when he had been sitting on the bus. He wished he’d brought his headphones and his iPod to listen to some calming music. But that would be rude, wouldn’t it? To show up with headphones around his neck? Wouldn’t it look like a means to escape socialising with Kuroo and his friends?

And then, nerves buzzing, he had finally arrived at the apartment complex.

He made his way up to Kuroo’s floor and then anxiously stood there for a second or two to gather his wits as best as he could, before he raised his fist and and knocked on the door.

A few moments, it opened. Kuroo was there, wearing a red top and acid wash jeans. But Tsukishima eyed the top. It said ‘ASK ME ABOUT MY T-REX’.

“Hey Tsukki, like the shirt?” Kuroo asked, looking at him with mischief glinting in his eyes.

“I guess.” Tsukishima said, too nervous to say anything else.

“So? Aren’t you going to ask me about my T-Rex?”

“Will I regret it?”

Kuroo’s lips tilted up into a smirk, “Maybe, or - maybe not at all.”

Tsukishima looked at him warily before he hesitantly asked, “So where’s your T-REX?”

Kuroo grinned, and then suddenly - _he was pulling his shirt up_. Tsukishima’s eyes were immediately drawn to Kuroo’s abdomen where there was some _serious abdominal toning_ going on. He traced the contour of Kuroo’s body, his tan skin, how _fit_ he was, heart beat spiking violently. He felt like something was lodged in his throat. Like his heart was trying to jump out of his mouth.

“My T-Rex,” Kuroo said, shirt pulled over his head, unaware of Tsukishima’s travelling eyes and his hammering heart, “is right here!”

Then a moment later, Kuroo pulled his shirt back down, covering the expanse of tan, toned skin that was his chest and abdomen. “Funny, right?” But he paused straight after he asked, seeing the dark red of Tsukishima’s face that even showed on his neck because of how pale-skinned he was.

“Wait, what?” Tsukishima asked. He felt stupid straight after the words left his mouth, eyes widening a fraction, knowing that Kuroo would _know_ that he’d just been checking him out. “I mean,” he stuttered over his words as he violently fiddled with his fingers, “Yeah. Funny. Ha.”

There was a moment of silence when Tsukishima wanted to turn and walk away and leave because he was so embarrassed.

“Where were you looking if not at my T-Rex, Tsukki?”

Tsukishima could _hear_ Kuroo’s smirk (because he still couldn’t bring himself to actually look at Kuroo), his voice sounding flirtatious and like honey. Tsukishima pressed the nail of his thumb into his other one. _Shit_ , he mentally cursed.

“I’m going to show you where my dinosaur is again though because it really is hilarious.” Kuroo said.

Tsukishima glanced up warily. Kuroo wasn’t going to say anything? And he was even changing the subject for him?

Kuroo met Tsukishima’s hesitant gaze with a slanted smile that somehow calmed him from his panic a little bit.

Round two commenced of Kuroo pulling his shirt up, and Tsukishima determinedly didn’t look down despite the temptation. So he stared at Kuroo’s shoulder.

Until, with Kuroo’s shirt pulled over his head, he caught sight of black on red. He turned his head and looked at where the shirt was pulled over Kuroo’s head. Right where Kuroo’s face was, on the inside of the shirt there was a T-Rex, with the caption ‘RAWR’ coming from it.

“My T-Rex is here.” Kuroo said and pointed at his face.

Tsukishima snorted, lips curving up more than his usual small smiles. That shirt was even lamer than his.

Kuroo pulled his shirt back down to catch Tsukishima’s reaction and grinned when he found Tsukishima smiling with amusement in his eyes.

“It’s a really lame shirt, right?!”

Startled by the loud exclamation of someone else’s voice, Tsukishima’s smile disappeared from his face. He flinched away a little as a face popped over Kuroo’s shoulder, all owl-wide eyes and crazy, gravity-defying, black-streaked grey hair.

“So you’re Tsukki!” The guy shoved a little past Kuroo, “I’m Bokuto!” He stuck a hand out for a handshake, grinning wide with one hand on his hip and his legs spread apart shoulder-width.

Tsukishima cautiously watched him. He momentarily glanced at Kuroo before he slowly went to put his hand out.

“Bro.” Kuroo said and shoved Bokuto back before Tsukishima could receive his hand, “You startled him.”

“Bokuto, stop scaring Kuroo’s friend.”

And then another stranger appeared. He was slanty-eyed and pale skinned with black hair that fanned out a little in soft half-curling strands. His expression was passive too, even when Bokuto grinned wide at him.

“I’m Akaashi.” He introduced himself quietly.

Tsukishima was surprised at first. Akaashi seemed as quiet as he was. He would have thought that all of Kuroo’s friends would be more like Bokuto.

“Tsukishima.” He replied to Akaashi.

“It’s nice to meet you.” Akaashi said before he turned and went to sit on the couch, followed closely by Bokuto.

Tsukishima glanced at Kuroo, “Which one is your room mate?”

Kuroo’s brows raised a bit before he grinned, “Oh right. You haven’t met my Kenma yet, have you?”

 _My_ Kenma.

Tsukishima shook his head, trying to swat away a small spark of jealousy that was tempted to start up.

“Come on,” Kuroo said and Tsukishima stepped inside the apartment.

Kuroo closed the door and then walked into the apartment. Beside the couch and TV there were two doors. Bedrooms, probably.

Kuroo knocked on one of them.

“Kenma.”

No answer.

Kuroo knocked again but louder, “Ken.”

Then, slowly, the door clicked open. Only a sliver of the room could be seen but Tsukishima caught sight of the short blond haired boy with his dark-stranded roots growing back in. He had sharp eyes and a look as passive as Akaashi’s.

“What is it?” Kenma asked. His voice was small and almost monotone but his brows furrowed the tiniest bit.

In the background of the room, Tsukishima could hear muffled music - it sounded like a video game.

“Tsukki’s here. Come meet him.” Kuroo said and pushed the door open a little.

Kenma let him. Then he was standing there, dressed in a red jumper and track pants.

“Kenma, this is Tsukki. Tsukki, this is Kenma. He’s been my best friend since we were kids.” Kuroo said and grinned, placing one of his large hands on top of Kenma’s head.

Kenma didn’t do anything to Kuroo, like it was the most natural thing.

“Hi.” Kenma said. He eyed Tsukki curiously, like he was studying him.

“Hello.” Tsukishima replied, doing the same thing.

This guy was Kuroo’s best friend and roommate? Tsukishima was surprised. He would have thought that Bokuto was Kuroo’s best friend. Instead, Kenma was short and introverted. And his eyes were too sharp, like a cat’s.

Tsukishima narrowed his eyes and Kenma only blinked up at him before he turned to Kuroo.

“Can I play my game again?”

Kuroo patted his head once before he lifted his hand off, “Yeah sure, I’ll call you when we order food.”

Then Kenma nodded, turned and then went back into his room, closing his door behind him.

“Isn’t he just like a small cat?” Kuroo asked affectionately.

Tsukishima nodded stiffly. He wanted to wring his fingers. But Kuroo already knew that as his nervous habit so he couldn’t do it. He felt that same spark of jealousy wanting to spark but he pushed it down. He had no right to be jealous, and _no reason_ (he told himself).

Kuroo eyed him a second too long before he turned from Kenma’s room. “Anyway, Bokuto decided - for us all,” Kuroo gave Bokuto a raised-brow look, “what board game we’re playing.” Kuroo moved back towards the living room. He sat on the single-person lounge and gestured for Tsukishima to sit beside Akaashi.

“Which is what?” Tsukishima asked as he sat.

“ _The Game of Life_!” Bokuto exclaimed, grinning as he held the board game in his outstretched hands, high in the air.

Tsukishima had played _The Game of Life_ before, with Akiteru. It was embarrassing to perform some of the acts on those cards even in front of his _brother_. He cringed, filled with an abrupt anxiety at the thought of having to do them in front of Kuroo and his friends.

While Bokuto was chirping and Kuroo was calling out at him as they set up the game on the ground, Tsukishima started to wring his fingers unknowingly.

“Don’t worry.”

Tsukishima’s gaze shot toward who had spoken. Akaashi.

“Bokuto and Kuroo make idiots out of themselves more than anyone.”

Tsukishima didn’t say anything.

“If you really feel uncomfortable, they won’t force you to do anything.”

Tsukishima started to calm down a bit. Akaashi’s way of speaking was slow and steady and almost in a monotone voice. His gaze was comforting, too. Tsukishima was glad that someone like him would be playing the board game as well.

“Thanks.” Tsukishima said. He stopped fiddling with his fingers.

“Guys! We’re playing it on the ground!” Bokuto called.

Tsukishima nodded before he stood from the couch. He sat around the board game on the rug; closest to him were Kuroo and Akaashi, with Bokuto almost directly across.

“I call red.” Kuroo exclaimed before he snatched up the red car.

“I dibs white!” Bokuto practically shouted as he reached out and took it.

Akaashi took the green car afterward and then Tsukishima chose the yellow one.

“A little disclaimer: don’t be too upset when you lose at _Life_ to me!” Bokuto grinned and thumbed at his chest. “This is your first time versing the master, Tsukki, so just play as you would. Don’t feel intimidated.”

Tsukishima’s lips twitched up into a small, amused smile as they begun the game.

 

* * *

 

They were nearing the end of the game. Tsukishima lived in the City Penthouse as a Secret Agent. He was happily married with 5 children (one of the kids had to lay across the others since there weren’t enough seats in the car). Things looked good for him. Akaashi was doing good, too.

But by far, Bokuto was doing the worst in the game.

Tsukishima had definitely felt comfortable throughout the whole game too, even if he had been embarrassed about having to get up and do some really lame, really half-hearted dance moves because one of the Action cards told him to. He’d feared being laughed at, but surprisingly, when Kuroo had burst out laughing and pointed at him, he had given a small breathed-out laugh back. He was definitely warming up to all of them and wasn’t as steely-faced and stiff compared to when they had first started playing.

Tsukishima spun the wheel of the game. He landed on the number four and then moved his car that many spaces. He picked up an action card and smirked.

“You’re getting a real smug look about you, Tsukki. What card did you get?” Kuroo asked.

Tsukishima held the card out and watched them read it.

It was the ‘Comedy Competition’ card; everyone had to try to make him laugh and whoever succeeded got paid 50K (in game money, of course). If they weren’t able to make him laugh, then he received 200K from the bank.

Bokuto whined, “Shit, you’re probably just as good as Akaashi at this. Akaashi _never_ laughs when he gets that card.”

“Goddamit.” Kuroo muttered.

Tsukishima put the card down, “I’m ready whenever you are.” He said and faced them.

“I’ll go first!” Bokuto exclaimed. He cleared his throat, looked down at the rug for a second or so before slowly looking up. His face melted into a horrifying kind of sleazy face, all flaring nostrils and a tilted smile.

Tsukishima stared at him. Akiteru always tried to make him laugh with those kinds of faces. And he’d expected something like that from Bokuto anyway.

“Next.” Tsukishima said after Bokuto had relented to defeat. He turned to Kuroo.

“Oh shit, me? Uh…” He scratched at his head a second before he grinned, “I got it. Here goes.” He rubbed his hands together before meeting Tsukishima’s eyes. “What do you call a blind dinosaur?”

Tsukishima was tempted to snort. He knew this joke. He knew _all_ the dinosaur jokes. He willed his face to not change expression when he said, “Adoyouthinkhesaurus.”

Kuroo’s grin widened and he laughed to himself, “I should have known you’d know it.”

Tsukishima wanted to make a small smile at Kuroo. But he kept his expression neutral.

He turned to Akaashi. Surely Akaashi would be easy to -

A laugh bubbled up out of him, sudden and uncontrollable. He quickly reached one of his slender hands up and covered the sound from his mouth. But he couldn’t get the image of Akaashi’s facial expression when he had turned to him, out of his head. Akaashi’s face had been _contorted_. It had been _triple_ chins, with crinkled and flared nostrils, narrowed eyes and angry eyebrows. It had been _petrifying_ \- even more so in that it had lasted for only a split second. The next milli-second later, when Bokuto and Kuroo had turned to watch Akaashi try to make Tsukishima laugh, his face had been as passive and pale as ever, with gentle features.

He couldn’t stop the laughter as he kept on thinking about Akaashi’s sudden change of face.

“What?” Bokuto was yelling suddenly, “What did you _do_ , Akaashi?! You _broke_ him!”

“Oh my god,” Tsukishima gasped, hand still pressed against his face to cover his mouth. He turned away from them, laughter still bubbling from his throat.

 

* * *

 

Kuroo was surprised at first, when Tsukishima’s laughter escaped from him. He blinked and then stared as Tsukishima tried - and failed - to hold it in. Kuroo had never seen Tsukishima laugh like that in the time that they’d known one another – no matter how short.

He’d seen Tsukishima with an amused expression, a smirk, an irritated face with narrowed eyes and even with a small smile. When Tsukishima ‘laughed’, he usually just snorted or huffed out an amused breath of air.

But he was _actually_ _laughing_.

Kuroo didn’t even know that Tsukishima could sound like that. He watched Tsukishima laugh as Bokuto started shaking Akaashi, demanding that he tell them what he did to ‘break’ him. Akaashi didn’t reply to Bokuto and on his face was a smug smirk as he collected up 50K from the bank money pile.

Kuroo felt a flush start at his neck and could feel his heart start to beat faster at the image of Tsukishima laughing – his laugh sounded so nice – but he covered that up by going along and laughing with the others’ antics.

Tsukishima was starting to get comfortable with them - so much so that he could laugh like that around them.

If Kuroo had learnt anything from his practically life-long friendship with introverted Kenma, then it was that if he was too forward, then Tsukishima would shy away.

 

* * *

 

“I give up.” Tsukishima said, voice hoarse from the laughing. His hand was still trying to cover up his face.

“What did he _do_?!” Bokuto asked him.

A small, breathy laugh escaped from Tsukishima, but he cut it off, “No, stop asking about it.” He managed to say with an even voice. “It’ll just make me think about it.”

Tsukishima rarely laughed like that. It made him self-conscious. He was an introvert and so he didn’t usually make loud sounds or let laughter or anger take over in front of other people. Usually, he’d just bottle everything up until he couldn’t hold it in any longer. At times like that, depending on his mood, he’d either sleep, play computer games or - ‘ _rarely_ ’ - cry (very silently and under his quilts).

He felt self-conscious once his laughter had died down.

He spared a glance up at Kuroo as Bokuto huffed that he’d continue playing the game anyway despite not knowing what Akaashi had done. Kuroo caught his eye and one corner of his lips tilted up into a crooked smile, his eyes warm.

Tsukishima paused as he caught onto the small movement but then he pursed his lips into a small smile back and then looked down at the board game.

 

* * *

 

Tsukishima ended up winning _The Game of Life_ since he had the most game money by the end of it. He shot Kuroo and his friends a smug face after he’d told them his amount of money and relished in Bokuto’s loud whines, Akaashi’s sour expression and Kuroo’s ‘I’m mock-hating you right now’ raised-eyebrow face.

Then it was when they’d ordered pizza again - a Meat Lovers and a Hawaiian (requested by Bokuto) – that Bokuto took out his phone and grinned, “I need to take a picture to chronicle this moment!”

He fiddled with his smartphone for a few seconds before holding it up and turning his back on Tsukishima, Akaashi and Kuroo. Tsukishima could see the four of them on the phone screen. He watched Kuroo move in closer towards him to better fit into the picture but he couldn’t see Kuroo’s arm moving around him. When Kuroo’s arm suddenly slung around his neck, he tensed so hard it was almost a flinch. Kuroo paid no mind to the action, acting as if his arm around Tsukishima was the most natural thing in the world for him to do – though he _must_ have felt the sudden tightening in Tsukishima’s shoulders _–_ and readied himself for the photo. Meanwhile, Tsukishima was as frozen as a statue. He was still holding his pizza slice. He felt his heart jump hard underneath his skin but he forced himself to ignore it as best as he could.

“Smile!” Bokuto suddenly exclaimed to everyone, phone positioned with his arm oustretched.

“Smile, Tsukki,” Kuroo murmured quietly.

Tsukishima glanced at Kuroo with a shady glare at the wrong moment. A loud camera _click_ sound went off and then the photo was taken.

“Shit.” Tsukishima muttered.

“Hm? What?” Kuroo asked as he unwound his arm from around Tsukishima’s neck, leaving a warmth where his skin had been on Tsukishima’s.

Then Bokuto started laughing at his phone.

Tsukishima felt a small flush start in his face as Akaashi and Kuroo leaned over to look at the screen as well.

Akaashi’s lips tilted up into an amused expression and Kuroo barked out a sudden laugh.

Tsukishima grudgingly leaned over as well to look at the photo, with a small secret hope that they weren’t laughing at him.

But, alas, they were. In the photo, he was giving Kuroo a serious stink-eye.

“Tsukki, why are you making this _face_?!” Bokuto exclaimed as he hooted with mirth.

“You look like you’re about to beat me up.” Kuroo said, grinning, with laughter dancing in his eyes.

Tsukishima felt his face heat up even more as he continued to eat his pizza, merely murmuring a ‘Shut up’ before he ignored their teasing remarks.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's Tuesdayyy, so HOORAY for update day! :D
> 
> Also, ITS NEARLY MY BIRTHDAY. I already have a pile of presents sitting next to me and I'm just - HOW. I didn't expect my friends to get me such lovely presents, but I LOOKED LIKE A LOSER ON THE BUS HOME, WITH GIFT BAGS HANGING OFF MY ARMS AND HOLDING TWO BOXES. Guys. My friends know me so well. *whispers* i love everything they gave me.
> 
> Anywhoo, idk how fics and tumblr tags work, but if you want to, I guess just tag this fic as 'over the moon kurotsuki' on tumblr, if you ever mention it or something, idk :') I'll be going back and adding that tag to my ch posts of Over the moon updates on tumblr, too so yeahhh ^^  
> Speaking of tumblr, [here's mine](http://harehi.tumblr.com)!
> 
> Enjoy this update!

Tsukishima ended up hanging out with Kuroo and his friends – Bokuto and Akaashi – again on Saturday night the next weekend and played _Jenga_ and _Dixit_ (surprisingly, Bokuto won _Jenga_ and Kuroo had been telling him the truth – _Dixit_ _was_ his bitch. He won it easily).

On Sunday morning, Tsukishima’s phone rang.

He saw the phone screen and the caller ID as ‘Yamaguchi’ and his mood instantly brightened, though his face didn’t change in expression.

He picked up on the call, still lying in bed but with a book now strewn atop his blankets, face down and resting on the page he had read up to so far.

“Hey,”

“Hey Tsukki!” Yamaguchi chirped, “How are you?”

Tsukishima could hear a buzz of indistinguishable voices in the background. Yamaguchi was probably at a café or something since he was an early-bird person.

“I’m okay.” Tsukishima answered, “You? How’s school?”

“Tiring. I’ve got my last exam tomorrow and then it’ll be holidays!” Tsukishima could picture Yamaguchi’s bright face at his exclamation, “I haven’t told you yet, have I? I’m coming back home really soon! Then we can _finally_ hang out in person instead of lame quiet sessions on Skype.”

Tsukishima frowned. Those ‘lame’ quiet sessions where they sat on Skype together, doing their own thing – whether that be studying or reading a book – were nice.

Yamaguchi laughed, “I know you’re frowning. I have a sixth sense about you.”

“Shut up.” Tsukishima murmured, “When will you be back?”

“My flight back is in 2 days, so really soon. Anyway, who cares about me? I had to learn _from your brother_ that you’ve been making friends! And that there’s this mysterious bookstore guy,” Yamaguchi said this with emphasis, “that you’ve been texting and making your small happy faces about.”

‘Small happy faces’ was a term that Yamaguchi and Akiteru had made up during one conversation the three of them had had when Tsukishima and Yamaguchi were in junior high school. Tsukishima hated the term.

He made a small sour pouty face in his bed, “I don’t make ‘small happy faces,” he said, his usual reply to whenever they coined the term.

“You didn’t deny anything about mysterious bookstore guy.”

“Shut up.” Tsukishima repeated.

“When I’m back, I demand to meet this guy. I’m your best friend so I need to approve of him before any of the intimacies can happen between you two.”

Tsukishima rolled his eyes but his lip quirked up at Yamaguchi’s use of ‘the intimacies’. “Whatever.”

“Anyway, my friend is coming back over with our coffees and we need to get back to studying. I expect a full update of bookstore guy when I get back. See you, Tsukki!”

“Bye.” Tsukishima said, before the call ended.

 

* * *

 

Bokuto uploaded the picture of the group onto facebook.

“ _Is this_ _the guy_?” Akiteru demanded, holding the photo too close up to Tsukishima’s face.

_Oh shit_ , Tsukishima thought. He hadn’t been on Facebook in a while and there were already a whole bunch of likes on the photo (156, to be precise. Why did so many people have to like Bokuto’s photo, anyway?) and also comments.

Hinata Shoyo, the spruce little red-headed shrimp that Tsukishima could hear bouncing and screaming from the other side of the college campus, had commented first. Tsukishima had gone to the same high school as him and though they’d formed somewhat of a – crudely termed – friendship, they definitely weren’t best friends. His comment read, ‘I didn’t know you knew Tsukishima! Tsukishima –‘ Hinata had tagged him here, ‘why didn’t you tell me you knew Kenma’s best friend? D:’

“Kei,” Akiteru whined and pulled his phone away before he began rambling, “It’s this guy, isn’t it, with the tattoos and the hair and the stupid dinosaur pun shirt, right? I know you love those puns. And no one in their _right mind_ would wear a shirt like that without reason. I saw that shirt online okay, and I was planning to buy it for you for your birthday last year before I found those really cool dinosaur sunglasses. I know that shirt has a dinosaur printed on the inside of it. That is one of the lamest shirts a person can own, Kei. And _he has one_.”

Tsukishima cleared his throat and turned away from his older brother. “Maybe he just owns it.”

“Yeah, but who’d wear it with _people_ _around_?”

“Aki, Kuroo’s just like that.” He thought of Kuroo in his loose black skeleton punk-hand singlet, his brown oxfords, his black loafers, his knit sweaters – he wore whatever he wanted.

“Yeah, but a guy with tattoos and those kinds of looks wouldn’t wear a dinosaur pun shirt!” Akiteru exclaimed, getting passionate.

Okay so maybe Akiteru had a point. As soon as Kuroo had answered the door, he had shown Tsukishima the shirt. But it was just wearing a shirt. There was nothing really special in wearing a shirt for someone.

“So what if he wanted to show me the shirt? There probably isn’t a special meaning to it.” Tsukishima shrugged.

“Stop being so pessimistic. What if this guy likes you back?”

“What if he doesn’t?” He sounded a little too vulnerable compared to his usual disinterested tone of voice. Even though some of his words had only a small susceptible tone to them, Akiteru would notice. He always did.

Akiteru turned to him and the mood between them took on a more serious tone. “Maybe he does, Kei.” Akiteru said softly, soothingly, supportively.

Tsukishima looked away from his older brother, feeling a rosiness involuntarily start up his neck and slowly stemming up to his cheeks. He hated talking about emotions and personal things, like his feelings for Kuroo, with other people – even his older brother. He just hated having to expose himself like that since he was more of a closed-off, introverted kind of person than a sociable one. It made him embarrassed and feel vulnerable, and he hated that kind of raw, exposed feeling.

“Listen up, little bro,” Akiteru then said, changing his voice to sound more casual and lightweight for Tsukishima’s sake, “You don’t look like it, but I know that you worry too much – about _everything_. So much so, that you start to think pessimistically. What if this guy really _does_ like you? You shouldn’t let yourself get in the way of that.”

Tsukishima didn’t say anything and felt the rosiness in his cheeks start to intensify. He knew his brother was right and he should try to maybe believe that Kuroo liked him or at least try to find out if he did rather than shun the possibility, but those words to an introvert were harder to do than they sounded. Tsukishima was an emotionally constipated person (outwardly, at least. He was perfectly fine with his emotions when they were kept only to himself). He started wringing his fingers.

 

* * *

 

Akiteru glanced down at his little brothers’ fingers and found them playing his nervous habit. He huffed a small breath of affection. He remembered Tsukishima fiddling with his fingers even as a kid. Their mom used to always know straight away which one of them was guilty of something like snatching up a freshly baked cookie from the tray or who hadn’t taken the trash out, because of it.

Even though Tsukishima clearly knew that it was a nervous habit of his, he couldn’t help but do it.

Akiteru reached a hand out and ruffled Tsukishima’s hair.

Tsukishima reached a hand up to fix his hair and Akiteru felt better that Tsukishima was no longer fiddling with his fingers, distracted. Tsukishima cast him a narrow-eyed kind of look as he rearranged his blond hair back into place.

Akiteru grinned, “Anyway, just keep note of what I said. Also, you didn’t tell me he had a whole _sleeve_ of tattoos.” Akiteru raised a brow but laughed when Tsukishima’s face rose with pink underneath his pale skin.

“Don’t tell mom.” Tsukishima said weakly.

 

* * *

 

“Woah Tsukki, this guy is really good looking.” Yamaguchi said, staring at the photo on Akiteru’s phone – the one that Bokuto had posted with Kuroo’s arm around him. Tsukishima and Akiteru had gone to pick Yamaguchi up from the airport with his mom since their families were practically one whole one. Yamaguchi was hanging out at their apartment with them before they all went to his house to have dinner.

Tsukishima flushed. He already knew that Kuroo was good looking. Who didn’t? But he didn’t say anything. He kept his eyes travelling along the words in the book he was reading, trying to read them but having to go over them again a time or two.

“Those tattoos are pretty cool.” Yamaguchi murmured.

“Right?” Akiteru said from the kitchen. He was microwaving a bag of popcorn for them. “I didn’t even know you digged tattoos.”

It wasn’t the tattoos that Tsukishima ‘digged’. Well, he did think they were cool and distracting but Kuroo as a person was what he ‘digged’. He was sarcastic, intelligent and stylish, sociable, attractive. On the surface, he seemed fashionably intimidating and too good-looking for Tsukishima to have ever first approached him, but underneath – he was _nice_ and _good_. And. Just – Tsukishima liked him… He was a lot of _different_ things that Tsukishima wasn’t.

“I see a little frown starting to happen with your face, Tsukki. Stop it.” Yamaguchi said, “I know you’re thinking negatively up inside that huge brain of yours.”

Tsukishima rolled his eyes. Yamaguchi knew him just as well as Akiteru did. Sometimes it was a little irking when the both of them were around to pick up on all the miniscule changes in his expression and perceive his emotions.

“Anyway, when can I meet this guy?” Yamaguchi asked.

Tsukishima’s gaze glanced sharply to his best friend and narrowed.

“What?” Yamaguchi asked, “I need to meet your future boyfriend before I have to _leave_ for school again.” He exclaimed.

“Yeah! I want to meet _Kuroo_ too.” Akiteru joined in, carrying a large bowl of popcorn over. He was grinning, looking hyped up about the idea. “Maybe you can invite him over to our apartment.”

Tsukishima had actually been thinking about that – inviting Kuroo over to the apartment, but he was worried it would be weird, especially if Akiteru and Yamaguchi would be around the apartment at the same time, flocking around them.

And Tsukishima really didn’t want to come off as a lame, pining loser if Kuroo found out about his feelings. He’d tried to keep them on the down-low as much as possible around Kuroo but Akaashi and Kenma had eyes that were too sharp to miss anything. It worried Tsukishima more than anything that they’d find out – worse, if they already had, and Kuroo _knew_ but he was just being nice on the surface.

But… Lately, Kuroo _did_ seem more partial toward him. Like he’d catch his gaze and give him a small smile that Tsukishima would return as if they’d shared a small, private moment with one another.

But maybe Tsukishima was getting ahead of himself.

Maybe Kuroo had never even considered Tsukishima in a romantic kind of way, ever.

That made the possibility of asking Kuroo to hang out at their apartment seem a little less daunting.

And anyway, Kuroo always invited _him_ over, so it should be about the same thing… Right?


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey again!
> 
> I feel like a housewife already, guys. I've had to cook meals for my family for the past few days since my mom has been super busy and just - ugh, I'm so tired from cooking even though I find it heaps of fun. Also, yes. I still live with my family. I'm trying to look for my own place but everything is so e x p e n s i v e and I am b r o k e :')
> 
> This is my last week of break from college and I'm so sad that it is :'(
> 
> Anywho, enjoy!!  
> Also, [my tumblr](http://harehi.tumblr.com)  
> And! [my new twitter account](https://twitter.com/jyioy) where I wail about Captive Prince by C.S. Pacat, the sharp cutting chiselled jawline that is Matthew Daddario's, these rEALLY YUMMY scones that I made and various other nerdy, dorky things :D

Kuroo was doing his best to play it cool.

Tsukishima had asked him over to his apartment and so he was making his way there now. He was dressed in a thin black cotton sweater with two rings of white print around the left sleeve near the elbow. He wore blue jeans and his white and black _Onitsuka_ sneakers.

Tsukishima had warned him that his older brother and best friend would be there. And that made Kuroo nervous – or, more nervous than he had originally been, anyway.

And then, all too soon – he was at Tsukishima’s apartment door. He sucked in a breath and then exhaled it suddenly, cheeks puffing at the action.

He reached his hand up a little shakily and then pressed the doorbell.

 

* * *

 

 _Ding dong_.

Tsukishima had been sitting on the couch. Waiting. Anticipating. _Anxious_.

As soon as the door bell rang, he shot up from his seat, lightning quick. He definitely didn’t want Akiteru or Yamaguchi opening the door for Kuroo – they’d be unashamedly embarrassing at greeting Kuroo.

Thus, Tsukishima swiftly made his way over to the apartment’s entrance, fretting, his mind going a mile a minute thinking about how he himself should greet Kuroo – should he say ‘Hi’, ‘Hey’, ‘Hello’? Should he smile? Nod? Trying to clear his thoughts so that he could think more clearly, he looked down to check that he looked okay. He was dressed in a green shirt and black jeans. That was okay enough.

Then, he was there. Right before the door, Tsukishima forced himself to calm down and tried to will the beating in his chest to steady itself. Then he nervously unlocked the door and reached down to twist the knob open. He pulled it open and -

Kuroo was there. He was dressed casually, in black and blue, his hair its usual spiky mess.

Kuroo glanced up to meet Tsukishima’s gaze.

“Hey,” Kuroo said.

“Hey,” Tsukishima said back, trying to sound as casual as possible and then clearing his throat straight afterward, “Come in – ” He made a startled, strangled noise when an arm violently slung around his neck.

“Hey, Kuroo, right?”

Tsukishima shot his brother a side-eyed glare and reached his hands up to stop Akiteru from _choking_ him.

Kuroo looked like a cat on edge at the sudden appearance, eyes widening a fraction before he gave a smile. It was a little stiff, but still tilted his lips up to one corner – the façade of looking at ease. “Yeah. Nice to meet you. I’m guessing you’re Tsukki’s brother?” He eyed their similar colouring.

Tsukishima was paler and his brother was made of warmer colours. Kuroo could already tell the contrasts in their character from one another from the way that Akiteru was grinning widely at him. Tsukishima hardly ever grinned like that – almost never.

“Yeah, I’m Akiteru. Thanks for looking out for my little bro.”

“Aki,” Tsukishima hissed.

Kuroo glanced at Tsukishima. It was fun to see him being man-handled and embarrassed like that by his older brother. He liked seeing new sides to the usually steely-faced Tsukishima.

“Anyway, come in.” Akiteru said and moved to the side, dragging Tsukishima in with him, paying no mind to Tsukishima’s efforts to escape his arm-lock and his threatening hisses of ‘If you don’t let me go _right now_ , Aki, I’ll...’ but that was all Kuroo could hear of the threats, because Tsukishima would lower his voice completely and hiss something else.

Kuroo grinned at them, “Thanks,” he then said and stepped in, closing the door behind him before he turned and looked around the apartment.

The place was modest. The furniture wasn’t prim like his and Kenma’s (thanks to Ken’s mom) and ranged from silvers to whites to blacks with the odd pop of colour. There was a black coloured couch set-up in front of a small flat-screen TV. Further on into the room was the kitchen and in front of it, a small dining table.

Suddenly, one of the doors to the side opened and a head popped out. Wide eyes surrounded by freckled skin peered out from behind the door. Then those eyes brightened when they caught onto him.

“You’re Tsukki’s friend – Kuroo, right?” The freckled guy asked, smiling as he came out from the room.

“Yeah.” Kuroo answered, trying to look polite. He was never good at looking polite. He was too tall, with outrageously spiked hair. And he had cat eyes and a smug grin. “And you’re?”

“This is Yamaguchi.” Tsukishima answered as he rubbed at his neck while occasionally throwing a dirty look at his brother after he’d _finally_ managed to escape from him, “The friend I had to go pick up from the airport.”

Kuroo paused very momentarily. The _best friend_.

Kuroo knew that because Tsukishima had mentioned him more than he mentioned anyone else (apart from his brother).

He was the best friend who studied abroad. The best friend who Tsukishima had said he’d known since grade school. Tsukishima’s ‘Kenma’.

Kuroo felt like he had to make a good impression.

“Nice to meet you.” Kuroo said, doing his best to sound sincere, polite and well-behaved compared to what he usually sounded like, voice laced with either sarcasm, amusement or rounded off with a lazy slur to his words.

Kuroo was aware of Akiteru calling Tsukishima over and into the kitchen. He watched Tsukishima turn to leave him with Yamaguchi out of the corner of his eye.

“So you met Tsukki at the mall?” Yamaguchi asked. He was friendly all around, with his tame hair and his freckled face, but there was a spark of curiosity in his look. Kuroo felt like he was being looked at by an inquisitor.

“Yeah, I work at a boutique in the mall near _The Book Keeper_.”

“So do you like reading books?”

Kuroo’s lips pursed. “Well, not usually. But Tsukki let me read some of his _shitty and sad books_ ,” he said this loud enough, purposefully reaching a hand up to cup his mouth so that Tsukishima would clearly hear him, “so it wasn’t so bad I guess.”

Tsukishima shot him a dirty look but then Akiteru was laughing and Tsukishima redirected his glare.

Yamaguchi snorted, “He’s such a sour soul.”

Kuroo’s lips tilted up into an amused smirk despite his efforts to keep that very smirk off of his face. Kenma used to always tell him it made him look like a bad person when they were kids – the bad kind of kid that skipped school and didn’t do his homework. Usually the smirk was a winner at clubs and bars, but it wasn’t the best kind of look to gain approval from the brother and best friend of who he liked.

“So how’d you become friends with Tsukki anyway? He won’t tell me no matter how many times I ask.” Kuroo asked, trying to make some sort of conversation. And anyway, Kuroo had told Tsukishima that he and Kenma had become friends because Kuroo was a persistent little shit kid who always kept looking over Kenma’s shoulder and asking if he could play with his game because his parents didn’t condone the playing of video games. When he’d asked Tsukishima how he’d become friends with Yamaguchi, he had very pointedly steered the direction in a completely other direction.

“Ha!” Yamaguchi laughed suddenly, “Of course he didn’t tell you. He hates knowing that even _I_ know the story.”

Kuroo’s interest piqued and he raised a brow at Yamaguchi, “Enlighten me.” He said, knowing that he was about to hear something _good_.

Yamaguchi grinned, like the two of them were in secret cahoots as he glanced over his shoulder to see if Tsukishima was distracted, before he started telling his tale. “Okay, so in like, the 2nd or 1st  grade, we learned about dinosaurs in class. You know about his stupid dinosaur thing, right?”

Kuroo rolled his eyes good-naturedly with an amused smirk tugging at the corner of his lips and leaned against the wall, “Of course. Who doesn’t?”

Yamaguchi’s lips curved up, “Well, we were learning about how old their fossils were and how they were all extinct and dead when recess break came around. Tsukki usually _always_ sat in class and doodled stupid pictures in his notebook during breaks, but he stood and walked quickly from the class instead.”

Kuroo could see Yamaguchi’s lips starting to tug up.

“I followed him because I thought he was cool and I wanted to be friends with him. He lead me straight to the library, where like, nobody usually ever went. And do you know what I found him doing? Do you have any _idea_?”

Kuroo shook his head ecstatically.

“He was fucking _crying_ with a stupid dinosaur book in his arms in the corner of the library.”

Kuroo barked out a laugh, and kept laughing. That was so stupid. It was the epitome of stupid – the very meaning of it. Tsukishima was a fucking loser – the biggest dork of mankind, a goddamned _dorkasaurus._

“He was _mourning_ the dinosaurs,” Kuroo choked out and Yamaguchi giggled until they were both clutching to the wall of the apartment and laughing.

“We’re going to order Indonesian food, what do you want…” Tsukishima trailed off as he came to them. He quirked a brow at them quizzically. “What’s up with you two?”

Kuroo breathed out the last of his laughs and then beamed at Tsukishima, traces of laughter still on his face. “I just can’t get over the fact that the dinosaurs are _gone_.”

Tsukishima’s face remained blank for a second, confused – before his face paled and his eyes widened.

“Tadashi, you _didn’t_.”

 

* * *

 

They were seated in front of the TV – Tsukishima and Kuroo took the lounge, Yamaguchi sat on the single-person couch and Akiteru was nestled comfortably on a beanbag on the ground.

“I can’t believe you haven’t seen _Pacific Rim_.” Kuroo said with a pitiful shake of his head.

“Right?!” Akiteru exclaimed loudly afterward, “He hasn’t seen _any_ movies.”

“I have,” Tsukishima said insistently and a little poutily. Throughout the evening so far, the three of them – Akiteru, Yamaguchi and Kuroo – had been ganging up on Tsukishima, finding ways to embarrass him and annoy him. They were the _perfect_ team to do so and Tsukishima should have never united them.

“Yeah but like really lame ones.” Yamaguchi said, “Like the historical ones about like, American presidents and world wars – movies that are pretty much documentaries, Tsukki.”

“They’re educational.” Tsukishima said.

Kuroo snorted beside him and nudged him with his foot, “What a _loser_.”

Tsukishima shot him a frown without any real malice.

The three of them were practically a force of nature against him. They always looped back to make fun of him and embarrass him, no matter what topic of conversation they were on.

Tsukishima was having fun, though.

“Okay, I’m starting the movie.” Akiteru announced, remote pointed at the TV screen. “This is your last chance for a bathroom break if you don’t want to miss anything. Movies stop for _no one_.”

Kuroo snorted beside Tsukishima.

“All good?” Akiteru asked when no one responded. “Cool. Playing it…. Now.”

 

* * *

 

“Good, right?” Kuroo asked Tsukishima as the credits started rolling.

Tsukishima nodded, a little wide-eyed and completely in awe, “Yeah.”

Kuroo grinned and Yamaguchi stood up to stretch.

“Ah crap, it’s already 1am.” Akiteru announced, floundering out from what had been his sunken-in position in the beanbag. “Kuroo, you’re welcome to stay if you’d like. There won’t be any more trains at this time.”

Tsukishima paused. Blinked.

Kuroo did, too – much more momentarily than Tsukishima – before he turned to him.

“Sure, if that’s cool with you?” Kuroo asked Tsukishima.

Tsukishima clutched the pillow in his lap a little tighter, before he nodded slowly. “Yeah. It’s fine.”

Kuroo’s lips tilted up into a smile – a little sleepier than usual. “Thanks Tsukki.”

“Well, I’m gonna crash.” Akiteru said, standing to yawn loudly. Yamaguchi, half-lidded, had already walked off to brush his teeth without addressing anyone. He had been too drowsy from sleepiness to worry to do so. “Good night guys.” Akiteru said as he turned the TV off before he walked off into the bathroom to join Yamaguchi.

“I’ll grab the blankets from the closet.” Tsukishima said before he paused, “Did you need sleeping clothes?”

Kuroo stood with him, “Maybe some track-pants or something. This sweater is comfortable enough to sleep in.”

Tsukishima nodded and made to go to the closet in the bathroom where they kept towels, blankets and quilts and pillow covers.

He paused as a thought occurred to him.

“Tadashi, are you taking the couch?”

Yamaguchi nodded, mouth foamy at the edges with toothpaste. “Yeah.”

Crap. So Tsukishima would have to set Kuroo’s ‘bed’ up on the floor of his own room.

Akiteru seemed to realise this too and laughed suddenly, sending out small spittles of toothpaste.

Tsukishima made a distasteful face at him, “That’s gross, Aki.”

“Yeah, well you better not do gross things in your room, _stud_.”

Tsukishima made the face of disgust again despite the light flush that rose in his cheeks as he violently grabbed blankets from the closet, ignoring Akiteru’s stupid chuckles.

He came back out into the living room, where Kuroo was sitting on the couch. He turned his head to look at him and then stood.

“Am I on the couch?” Kuroo asked, gesturing a hand to it.

Tsukishima cleared his throat, “Uh, no.”

Kuroo raised a brow.

“You’re in my room.” Tsukishima said, feeling suddenly nervous.

Kuroo’s face froze for a second before it was quickly replaced with nonchalance, “Oh. Cool. That’s fine, too.”

“Tadashi already took the couch. So,” Tsukishima turned to avoid looking at Kuroo, feeling embarrassment spark into his chest, his face, the tips of his ears like New Year sparklers, “my room.” He tilted his head towards his room door.

He really hoped nothing embarrassing was lying around.

He remembered his dinosaur books and his dinosaur figurines and the goddamned dinosaur sunglasses that Akiteru had gotten him last year. Shit.

He opened the door and turned the light on. His room wasn’t anything to brag about. It was a decent sized space with a single bed decorated with a navy blue quilt and pillow. His walls weren’t decorated with posters. He had two shelves in his room – the tiers were mainly filled with book against book against book. There was one tier that held his college textbooks and notebooks and then another tier, near the top, that was filled with his dinosaur figurines.

As Tsukishima was setting up the blankets on the floor, Kuroo snorted as he stood before that very shelf with the dinosaurs.

It was one thing to talk about dinosaurs and make puns about them, but wasn’t it lame to have _figurines_ of them in his room? Like, heaps of figurines?

“This is cute, Tsukki,” Kuroo said, voice laced with laughter as he picked up one of the dinosaurs, “I had _no idea_ you liked dinos.”

Tsukishima dead-panned Kuroo because of his sarcasm as he laid out the last of the blankets to Kuroo’s ‘bed’ and then propped the pillow in place too.

He stood and went to his closet, feeling a little nervous about the way Kuroo was strolling around his room and stopping at different things – some photos, his CDs, the _Pokémon_ cards he still had, the volleyball under his desk. Tsukishima remembered once reading that you could tell a lot about a person from their room. All he could tell about himself from his room was that he was a total _dork_.

He rummaged through his track-pants.

Stopped at the printed dinosaur pajama bottoms he had.

His lips quirked up.

“You have two options.” He said suddenly, interrupting the silence between them.

“Hm?” Kuroo looked up from where he’d been tracing the lines of the world map that Tsukishima had blu-tacked on his wall.

Tsukishima held up two pairs of pajama pants. One was plain black and the other was a royal blue, but with green T-Rex figures littered all over it.

Kuroo glanced between them and when his eyes fell on the dinosaurs, he grinned and snorted. He walked up to Tsukishima and took the dinosaur ones from him.

“These ones, definitely.”


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! It's update timeee!  
> I have been madly procrastinating from college work this past week and I really need to quit it :( Ugh, I hate the feeling AFTER you've procrastinated, where it's all high-strung stress and panic and you just feel jittery all the time. ANYWHO, here is the update! Have fun readdingg ^^  
> [my tumblr](http://harehi.tumblr.com)  
> [my twitter](https://twitter.com/jyioy)

Tsukishima was having trouble sleeping. The light was off and he was turned on his side, eyes wide awake and blinking.

He turned his head and tried to find Kuroo’s figure in the dark room and only saw a very rough outline.

Kuroo wasn’t making any noise except when Tsukishima listened, he could hear him slowly and steadily breathing.

Tsukishima sat up carefully to not wake Kuroo, thinking that maybe he should go out to the kitchen and make himself some tea or warm up some milk to help him sleep. Just as he pulled his foot out from under his quilts and his toes touched the wooden paneling of his floor, Kuroo whispered, “Tsukki? You awake?”

Tsukishima paused. He had thought Kuroo was asleep. “Yeah.” He whispered back.

“Can’t sleep?”

“Kind of.”

“Me too.”

“Sorry if you’re uncomfortable on the ground.”

“Nah it’s not that,” Kuroo said and Tsukishima could hear the rustling of Kuroo’s blankets. He eyed Kuroo’s black shape in the darkness sitting up before he reached over to his bedside table and switched on his lamp.

The room was subtly illuminated in the warm tones of his bedside light.

They squinted at each other for a few seconds, their eyes adjusting to the light – Kuroo stopped squinting, but Tsukishima’s eyes were slightly narrowed since he wasn’t wearing his glasses.

“I don’t think I’ve seen you without your glasses before, Tsukki.”

Tsukishima made a small face and then immediately grabbed his glasses before placing them on. Like the majority of glasses-wearers, he always felt the constant ticking of self-conscience whenever he wasn’t wearing them.

“You look fine without them.” Kuroo said casually. He blew out a sigh and then turned his body towards Tsukishima. “Want to do something since we can’t sleep?”

Tsukishima shrugged, “Sure. What?”

Kuroo had a thoughtful face for a few seconds before he turned to Tsukishima, “We could just talk.”

Tsukishima sucked at talking.

The hesitance must have shown on his face because the next second, Kuroo was sitting up straighter, “Nothing _deep_ and abstract like the meaning of life, Tsukki, but stuff like –” He looked up in thought for a quick moment, “ – like what are you planning to do after college?”

“Uh, well,” Tsukishima cleared his throat and pulled himself his leg back onto his bed and quilt. “I don’t really know? Um, I’ve told you that I’m doing a double degree, right? Of Arts and Science?”

“Yeah.”

“I don’t,” Tsukishima paused, “actually _like_ science.” He confessed, wringing his fingers. “It’s interesting, but if I had to choose the most interesting science for me, it would definitely be paleontology.”

“The dinosaur science?” Kuroo’s lips were quirked up.

Tsukishima snorted a small amused sound, “Yeah. But paleontology isn’t really a busy career, unless you end up working for commercial things like _Walking with Dinosaurs_ or something.”

“So why are you doing science? You’re not even studying anything about paleontology.”

“It’s kind of. It’s kind of like my back-up. I want to do something like editing or writing – something to do with novels, but that kind of career is either a hit-or-miss, so.” Tsukishima shrugged.

“I think you’d be able to do it.” Kuroo said, “I’ve seen you write notes all over your books for _fun_. And isn’t it kind of suffocating doing something you don’t actually want to do?”

Tsukishima nodded. He hated scientific practicals. He hated having to write down equations and logic and hated having to cut back on his use of vocabulary on his write-ups since that one time one of his professors had laughed and made a comment about the time he used the word ‘quintessential’ before he went on and circled all of the other ‘too artsy’ words in his write-up and told him to ‘fix it’.

“Yes.” Tsukishima answered.

“Then why do it?”

It wasn’t that easy.

What if he couldn’t succeed with Arts? What if he ended up a flop and had to rely on Akiteru and his parents until he got himself sorted out? He didn’t want to do that.

“Anyway, it’s up to you.” Kuroo said after Tsukishima looked like he didn’t have anything else to say out loud, “So don’t freak out too much about my opinions.”

“What about you?” Tsukishima asked a while after, wanting to move on from the subject of his life, “What do you want to do?”

Kuroo made a thinking face, his bottom lip pursing and his eyes glancing up at Tsukishima’s ceiling where he stared for a few seconds.

“I’m studying physiology. I broke my ankle playing soccer when I was a kid – and exactly at the time when my kid self thought that playing soccer for a living would be ‘the coolest’. So I was pretty crushed that I couldn’t do that anymore and my physiologist at the time was the _shittiest_ , Tsukki. He seemed just as broken as I did, and at least _he_ was intact.” Kuroo snorted, “I dunno though,” he said, “I don’t want to be a shitty physiologist.” He ran a hand through his hair.

“So you _do_ want to be a physiologist, you just don’t want to be a bad one.”

“Yeah.” Kuroo said softly, “I mean, people’s careers and dreams get crushed by sports injuries, so.” Kuroo shrugged, “I want to help with that.”

Tsukishima swallowed a lump in his throat he hadn’t known was there. He was so fucked. They hadn’t really had a chance to talk about stuff like this before since they were always throwing joking insults at one another and talking about books and films, but Kuroo was surprisingly _real_.

His image always seemed a little frivolous and casual, but he was anything but underneath that.

Tsukishima liked that.

He liked that Kuroo could talk to him about his dreams and stuff, too.

“That’s really great, Kuroo.” Tsukishima said softly.

Kuroo looked embarrassed for a second and instead of brushing it off with his usual joke or grin, he smiled at Tsukishima without the flash of his teeth with an appreciative look in his eyes, softer than usual.

Tsukishima gave a small smile back.

Then suddenly, Kuroo fell back on to his make-shift bed with a _flop_.

“I’m glad I met you, Tsukki. You’re a cool guy.”

Tsukishima huffed a small laugh, and looked at the tier on his shelf filled with dinosaur figurines. He really, really wasn’t.

“You might want to rethink that statement.” Tsukishima said.

Kuroo didn’t look at him and kept his eyes to the ceiling, “Hm? Why?”

Tsukishima smirked and opened the draw of his bed-side table. He pulled out the sunglasses case that was waiting in there and opened it. He took the sunglasses out and put them over his eyeglasses. His vision was immediately coloured in shades of magenta/maroon.

“Because of these.”

“Hm?” Kuroo rolled over on to his stomach and looked up at him.

His eyes traced over the magenta/maroon coloured sunglasses that were rimmed with small white and green beads with two long-necked Branchiosaurus posing on top of them.

Kuroo at first let out a sudden laugh, before he slapped his hand over his mouth – it was a sound that violently startled Tsukishima from the mood that their conversation had left. But it was a second or so later when Kuroo couldn’t hold the laugh back anymore and released the stupidest guffawing laugh in history – one he tried to cover by shoving his face into his pillow.

But it was too late – Tsukishima had heard the laugh that was so out of whack that he started to laugh softly too and then they were both laughing on their beds with each other, stopping to try to breathe and make even stupider comments like ‘those glasses made my eyes dino- _sore_ ’ and ‘c’mon, they were totally t- _rexy_ ’ that made then laugh even harder.

 

* * *

 

There was a knock on the door and Tsukishima groaned underneath his quilts before, blearily squinting, he peeked out from under the covers just as the door clicked open.

He could hear Kuroo on the ground making a groaning, miserable sound.

“Rise and shine!” Akiteru exclaimed. Tsukishima wanted to strangle his brother. “You guys want breakfast?” Akiteru asked, “I’m making waffles.” Maybe Tsukishima wouldn’t strangle him after all.

Kuroo made a croaky sound that sounded a lot like ‘Yes please’ at the same time that Tsukishima nodded.

Akiteru was about to close the door when he caught sight of Tsukishima’s dinosaur sunglasses and his dinosaur figurines on his desk. His lips quirked up into a smile before he left.

“Tsukki,” Kuroo mumbled, his voice all husky and sand-papery, “I don’t know ‘f I want to kill your brother or hug him because _waffles_.”

Kuroo’s voice was all rough and scratchy and sleepy-sounding.  It was a little croaky here and there, but Tsukishima really liked it sounding like that.

He blinked his eyes into barely-opened slits to try and not dwell on Kuroo’s sleep-husked voice and reflexively reached for his glasses as he slowly sat up, still bogged down with sleep.

Once his glasses were on, he squinted at where Kuroo was and let out a drowsy sounding snort.

“What?” Kuroo asked, turning his head from the side so that his face was planted into his pillow, his words muffled.

“Your hair is _insane_. More than usual.” Tsukishima said. His own voice was a little rough but he was definitely more awake than Kuroo at that point so it wasn’t too bad.

“Sh’dd’p.”

Tsukishima’s lips quirked up and he started to get up from bed drearily.

“ ‘re you fuckin’ moving right now? How th’fuck?”

With a brother like Akiteru, who fucking ‘rose with the sun’, he’d learned quickly that standing up and waking up quickly was less of a hassle than being prodded and annoyed in order to get out of bed.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, Tsukishima realised that the guy he liked had slept in his room for the night, but he was too foggy-minded to care. He stepped – lightly but purposely and just for fun – on Kuroo on his way out, who made a disgruntled sound and swatted at his legs with lazy movements.

“I’m going to go wash my face.” Tsukishima said as he exited his room.

Yamaguchi was already in the bathroom, drying his face with a small towel.

“Sleep okay?” Yamaguchi asked, with a smug expression.

Tsukishima flashed him the middle finger before he bent over the sink to wash his face after he’d propped his glasses to the side.

“Tsukki, did you _wreck_ him?” Yamaguchi asked, laughing lightly.

His face dripping with water, Tsukishima gave Yamaguchi a bitter glare, an expression which embodied the words ‘fuck off’.

“You might want to get yourselves ready and at the table before Akiteru goes to your room again and catches the two of you making out or something.”

Tsukishima ignored Yamaguchi’s remarks. Because Yamaguchi was a person who was quick to sleep during the night time, he was also quick to wake up – like Akiteru. It really sucked to be the only late-riser amidst early-risers.

But then, with his face washed and feeling more awake, Tsukishima went back to his room.

And found Kuroo exactly as he’d left him.

He was definitely a worse riser than Tsukishima.

“Okay.” Tsukishima said and bent down towards Kuroo. He snatched up the blanket that covered Kuroo’s body.

“God _dammit_ ,” Kuroo hissed, voice still a little croaky as he tried to curl in on himself to preserve his warmth.

“Come on,” Tsukishima said, “you might want to hurry before all the waffles are gone.”

“Yeah right Tsukki, I’m _getting_ one of those waffles.”

 

* * *

 

Kenma paused as the door to the apartment unlocked and then watched as Kuroo came in, yawning.

“Where were you all night?” Kenma asked, wary that maybe Kuroo had picked up the habit of staying out all night again.

“I slept over at Tsukki’s – and we _just_ slept, Ken.” Kuroo added before Kenma could say anything else.

Kenma didn’t say anything as Kuroo sank into the couch before he glanced at the instant pancake batter he had been contemplating making.

“Do you want pancakes?” Kenma asked.

Kuroo tilted his head to look at Kenma, “Nah, I’m good. I had waffles at Tsukki’s.”

“You had breakfast there?”

It was subtle, but Kuroo could hear Kenma’s tone of intrigued curiosity and good-natured teasing.

“Yeah.” Kuroo replied.

“Are you getting _domestic_ , Kuroo?”

Kuroo, despite the indifferent attitude he wanted to play out, felt the itch in his fingers that he got whenever he wanted to run his hand through his hair.

“I don’t think you’ve ever stayed for breakfast before.” Kenma then said.

“We didn’t even – ” Kuroo paused. He was going to say ‘fuck’, but that seemed too crude to say about Tsukishima.

“Yeah? You didn’t even…? Because usually, you would have by now.” Kenma pointed out good-naturedly, his lips slanting up with the smallest twitch.

Kuroo hated when Kenma teased him; it was usually the other way around.

He covered his face with his hands and let out a loud groan before he picked himself up, “I’m going to my room where you can’t torment me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M SORRY TO ALL OF YOU WHO WANTED A WAKE-UP SCENE TURNED STEAMY, OR KUROO AND TSUKKI WAKING UP TANGLED TOGETHER. FORGIVE ME.  
> Don't worry though guys - when the time comes, they'll get steaammyyy :P  
> ALSO, one of my teachers actually DID one time laugh at my use of a big artsy word in my practical report one time and guys - that was not a great feeling. Extensive vocab is MERITABLE, ok. <3


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey again, guys! :D  
> Lol, guess who’s in their college campus right now and should be working on assignments but is instead updating their fanfic??? Meee. In my defense though, I’ve spend the last two hours brainstorming and formulating an essay plan and I’ve gone over a lecture I missed yesterday. Also, it may have been raining for a little bit, and I MAY have watched the ending rain scene of Miraculous Ladybug’s Origins part 2 because that scene ignites so many feels. :’)
> 
> [my tumblr](http://harehi.tumblr.com)   
>  [my twitter](https://twitter.com/)

The next day, Tsukishima was at the bookstore. His music was playing around his ears and he had his copy of _Night Circus_ by Erin Morgenstern opened in his hands.

He was steadily reading when the bells of the door jingled. He looked up hopefully (as he always did) for Kuroo, but his eyebrows raised the slightest when instead, he found Kuroo’s roommate, Kenma.

Kenma was dressed in a grey hoodie, black jeans and black vans.

“Hi.” Tsukishima said. The greeting sounded awkward even to his ears and he inwardly winced.

“Hi.” Kenma said back before he walked straight to the counter.

He stood before Tsukishima and just – _looked_ at him. For way too long than normal.

Tsukishima felt his nerves fire up – maybe this was about Kuroo? – but he levelled his own gaze with Kenma’s, narrowing his eyes into a stern kind of look. He tilted his head down a little too, to enunciate that Kenma was smaller than him.

This went on for a few seconds longer (and Tsukishima had no idea what was happening) before Kenma’s lips parted and he said, “Kuroo hasn’t been in an _actual_ relationship since high school.”

Tsukishima felt his face change from his stern glare but he didn’t know what it changed into. But he felt his face start to heat up because why would Kenma tell him that kind of thing anyway – and so suddenly?

Something must have happened for Kenma, because he didn’t look as critical of him anymore. He nodded once, like he’d accomplished what he’d come to do, before he raised a small hand up, “Anyway, bye. It was nice seeing you.”

Then Kenma walked back out of the bookstore without saying anything else.

Tsukishima watched him go, blinking and a little confused.

“Did I just get friend-checked?” He asked aloud, to no one in particular.

But why would Kenma do that?

Tsukishima started thinking the impossible possibility that maybe Kuroo was actually interest-

There was no way.

Tsukishima snorted a little meekly to himself before going on with reading his book, completely distracted.

 

* * *

 

Kenma went to _The Book Keeper_ a second time, too – but with Kuroo.

Kuroo had gone straight to the counter, to return the book he’d borrowed, and Kenma had opted to stroll around the store, occasionally glancing up at the two of them.

“Got anything else you want me to read?” Kuroo asked, grinning.

Tsukishima nodded, “Yeah. That last one was really serious, so I’m giving you a comedy this time.”

“Yeah?” Kuroo asked, watching as Tsukishima turned to rummage through his bag.

He pulled out a book that was thicker than anything Tsukishima had lent to him before since he’d only given him short stories.

Kuroo raised a brow and looked it over. “ _The Importance of Being Earnest and Other Plays_ ,” he read the title aloud, “by Oscar Wilde.”

“Just read the last play, _The Importance of Being Earnest_.” Tsukishima said.

“Will I laugh?”

“Yeah.”

“Did you laugh?”

“… Yeah.” Tsukishima answered, feeling suddenly bashful. He immediately turned from the counter and went out into the actual store to tidy up some of the shelves.

Kuroo followed him.

“Hi.” Tsukishima said as he passed Kenma.

“Hi.” Kenma replied back, before ignoring the two of them and picking out a random book.

“So it’s pretty funny, huh?” Kuroo asked, sticking close.

Tsukishima cleared his throat, “I guess.” He fixed up some books and then paused, brain over-calculating as he always did, “Actually, it’s pretty stupid. Don’t worry about reading it. You might not laugh.” He went to grab the book back, but Kuroo pulled it away so that it escaped Tsukishima’s fingers.

“No way, Tsukki. I’m going to read this play and I’m going to laugh my head off.”

Tsukishima snorted, lips quirked up as he turned away from Kuroo and back to the shelf, “That’s stupid.”

“ _You’re_ stupid.” Kuroo retorted.

Kenma watched the two of them, gaze flittering from the blurb of the book in his hands.

 

* * *

 

Kuroo was at the stove, making spaghetti and meatballs, Kenma was getting the plates and Bokuto and Akaashi were sprawled on their couch, watching _Sense8_.

Once Kenma had four plates set out on the table with four sets of cutlery, he went back into the kitchen.

Kuroo turned from the stove and the bubbling Bolognese sauce and leaned himself onto the kitchen counter, raising a brow at his best friend. He didn’t usually come back into the kitchen after setting up the plates. Usually he’d take a seat on the stools near the kitchen and play his _DS_ until dinner was ready.

“What’s up?” Kuroo asked.

Kenma didn’t say anything for a second too long, just blinking his large feline eyes up at him.

Kuroo knew that others found the look Kenma was giving him daunting, but after years of friendship, Kuroo was hardly affected by him.

“I think Tsukishima likes you.” Kenma then suddenly said.

Kuroo’s hand slipped from where it had been holding on to the ledge of the counter and he hit his finger on one of the cabinet drawer handles, “Ow, shit,” he muttered and then sharply looked up at Kenma.

They stared at one another for a few moments before Kuroo grinned and then picked up the wooden spoon to stir around the sauce, “Nice try, Ken. Real great joke. I’m not an idiot.”

“You _are_ an idiot. He likes you.” Kenma said, more quietly, more genuine.

Kuroo paused in his stirring, and then let the spoon rest in the sauce as he turned back to Kenma.

“You’ve hardly spoken to him. How could you possibly _know_?”

“I know you’ve been wondering if he likes you, too.” Kenma said. Kuroo looked like he wanted to protest, so Kenma kept talking. “You’re too worried that it’s just you and your feelings hoping too much to actually realise that he does.”

Kuroo felt his face flush warm, “Ken, seriously, I’m cool with just being his friend. Yeah you might think he likes me, but you’ve been subtly trying to get me into a serious relationship since I started having casual flings.”

Kenma didn’t say anything, his lips making a small twitch into a different position that turned his expression into what Kuroo recognised was his disappointed look. “But you want to go on dates, Kuroo. You want to _date_ Tsukishima.”

Kuroo let out a small groaned sound and ran a hand through his hair, “I do, okay, but it’s not just about what _I_ want – ”

“I think he’d say yes if you asked him out.”

Kuroo quickly directed his gaze to where the voice had come from and found Akaashi, standing behind the kitchen counter.

Kuroo didn’t know what to say. He really did want to ask Tsukishima out on a date, but he was too scared that he’d end up losing a really great friend if he were rejected.

“And if he says no?” Kuroo asked, sounding a lot more vulnerable than he liked.

Kenma’s lips pursed, “Then at least you tried.”

“That is such a bullshit movie line and you know it, Ken.” Kuroo said with a weak huff of laughter, lips tilting up nonetheless.

“What if you miss your chance?” Akaashi asked quietly, “You don’t want to miss your chance.” Then he turned from the kitchen and sat back next to Bokuto, who grinned at him, pecked his cheek and then slung an arm around his neck.

Kuroo had heaps of friends that were gross, domestic couples.

He totally wanted to be a gross domestic couple with Tsukishima.

“Just ask him.” Kenma said, before he turned off the stove and then grabbed up the pot of sauce to put on the pasta.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ENJOY!  
> Also in hindsight I probably shouldn't have watched 'Bakemono no ko' today because I need to finish one of my assignments if I want to go to my friends birthday this weekend, bUT I NOW JUST HAVE TO DO THE BEST WITH THE TIME I'VE GOT.  
> But I'm also really frustrated about one of my compulsory courses too - I'm in an arts degree but we're constructing a group speech presentation about climate change??? Why?????????  
> Hope your week's been good!! :) xx
> 
>  
> 
> [my tumblr](http://harehi.tumblr.com)  
> [my new studyblr/personal thing](http://starry-studies.tumblr.com)  
> [my twitter](https://twitter.com/jyioy)

How were you even meant to ask someone out on a date?! One strap of Kuroo’s faux-leather backpack was slung over one of his shoulders. He was dressed in a black _Boy_ hoodie, light blue jeans rolled at the ankles and was wearing his black and velvety original _Doc Martens_. He was making his way down the mall, as slowly as he could.

He knew that as soon as he reached _The Book Keeper_ , then he’d have to ask Tsukishima out.

On a _date_. An _actual_ date.

He’d never really had to worry about that kind of thing before – and he’d never worried _this much_ about it, even when he’d been like every other floundering teenager (when he’d thought he was completely straight too. Ha). In clubs and bars, if the other person didn’t want to get frisky, then that was that. He’d leave them be and move on to someone else.

But he couldn’t just do that with Tsukishima if he was turned down.

He wouldn’t just lose his chance at being more than friends, but he would also lose a _really good_ friend in general.

A friend who hadn’t known him since high school or since his first year of college and was still someone who he’d actually been comfortable enough to talk about his stupid dreams and stuff.

But Kuroo wasn’t a coward (plus, Kenma had given him a Kenma pep-talk, which was a few encouraging and persuasive sentences delivered with an ‘I expect you to do this and not back out’ facial expression).

He could totally do this.

… Right?

He could see _The Book Keeper_ ’s sign a few more meters ahead.

Kuroo steeled himself and picked up his snail-pace so that he wouldn’t give himself enough time to back out.

 

As usual, the bells chimed when he went into the store.

Before he’d gone in, Tsukishima eyes had been tracing the story of the book in his hands, sitting quietly and peacefully behind the counter. After the bells chimed, Tsukishima looked up curiously, amber eyes in wonder.

They registered Kuroo and lit up with recognition as a small smile curved his lips.

 _Oh God_ , Kuroo thought to himself. He braced himself for whatever would happen.

As Kuroo walked up to the counter, Tsukishima placed a bookmark to where he was up to in his book and then set it down. When did he start doing that – putting his book down to talk?

It made Kuroo even more nervous, like there were moths fluttering their wings in his stomach and crickets hopping about.

“What’re you reading?” Kuroo asked, starting off nice and easy.

Tsukishima motioned to his book, “ _The Picture of Dorian Gray_ by Oscar Wilde.”

“The guy who wrote _The Importance of Being Ernest_ , right?” Kuroo asked, biting his lip, wondering when he should ask. _When was the right time_?!

“You’re ‘ _write_ ’.” Tsukishima said., raising a very ‘inconspicuous’ eyebrow.

Some of Kuroo’s nerves melted away as he laughed at the pun. “That was _lame_ , Tsukki.” He said.

“Your puns are worse.” Tsukishima said despite the self-satisfaction that Kuroo could see in his face through the small movements of his expression.

It was now or never.

Kuroo cleared his throat, “I didn’t actually come in here today for books or anything.”

“You haven’t finished _Of Mice and Men_?”

“Nope.” Kuroo said and then exhaled a deep breath from his lungs, feeling suddenly jittery. “I, uh, came today to ask you if you wanted to, er, maybe go on a date? This weekend? With me?”

As soon as the words had passed his lips, his nerves exploded all over the place, his dark eyes watching Tsukishima attentively, watched as those amber eyes widened as owl-wide as Bokuto’s, watched his eyebrows twitch up, his throat bob.

Shit shit shit shit.

 

* * *

 

Tsukishima blinked once and then once again. He mentally replayed Kuroo’s words but he felt like he couldn’t think properly, like his brain had turned to mush. He had been completely thrown – so, _so_ far thrown.

“What?” He asked, tone laced with disbelief and stupor. He felt stupid asking that. His voice sounded too croaky too – like his throat was dry, even though he’d felt completely fine before.

Kuroo ran his hand through his hair and cleared his throat, gone was the easy-going demeanor about him. He cleared his throat and Tsukishima could see some flare of red at his neck that _wasn’t_ the tattoo that made him want to squat down behind the counter and hide himself away.

“Would you want to go on a date? With me?” Kuroo asked again, sounding a whole lot more strangled than the first time he’d said the words.

Tsukishima’s lips parted. He had planned to say something. But he didn’t know _what_ to say. Just the night before, he’d been thinking how impossible this would be so he hadn’t let his brain think through various possible scenarios of how it would happen and what he’d say, what he’d do.

He had been quiet for too long.

There was a flush rising up on Kuroo’s face. And it really did look like his fire-breathing dragon tattoo had breathed flames onto his skin. Tsukishima had never seen him that red before.

“Shit, fuck,” Kuroo murmured quietly after a long pause of silence between the both of them, “uh, listen Tsukki, it’s cool if you don’t want to go on a date. You can say no. I just wanted to ask. Y’know, in case you’d, er, say yes. Um, I hope this doesn’t make things really awkward between us? You’re a good friend so – ”

“No,” Tsukishima said suddenly. He was trying to bring his fried and scattered thoughts back together. “That – I mean, no, as in…” He trailed off. He didn’t know how to tell Kuroo ‘yes’ properly.

“It’s okay,” Kuroo said. He looked hurt, but he was being understanding (based on his _stupid_ assumption). Kuroo gave a soft, awkward chuckle but it sounded like something more pitiful, “Sorry if this was weird.”

“Oh my god.” Tsukishima murmured, frustrated at himself. He started aggressively fiddling with his fingers behind the counter where Kuroo couldn’t see. “My answer is yes.” He blurted out a little exasperatedly.

Kuroo’s brows rose and his face, which had started to fade from its red colour, suddenly intensified. “Wait.” Kuroo said. He frowned for a moment, looking almost confused. Then he looked up with wide eyes and asked, “What?”

“I’ll uh, go on a date. With you.” Tsukishima answered. He could feel the fire in his face and needed to plunge his whole head into a bucket of water to cool down.

“Oh.” Kuroo said.

Then they both stood there for a second too long, with Kuroo aggressively running his hand through his hair and Tsukishima violently wringing his fingers.

“Um,” Kuroo cleared his throat. It sounded more like he was choking. “Are you cool with outdoor cinemas?”

“Yeah. Sounds fun.” Tsukishima replied quickly, feeling like he was filled to the brim with embarrassment.

“There’s a movie showing this Friday. If you’re free that day. They have other movies on some other nights so I’ll let you close the store and I’ll text you about it?”

“Yeah. Sounds good.” Tsukishima felt like a robot.

Kuroo nodded and Tsukishima looked up at him. Kuroo’s lips tilted up into a smile. It was a normal expression for him to make. But Tsukishima was suddenly made aware of the _excessive_ warmth in his eyes. Looking _right at him_.

Goddammit, he sounded _pathetic_. This was so smushy. Tsukishima wanted to hurl his face against the wall.

“Okay. Uh, bye, I guess.” Kuroo said. He lifted a hand in a wave before he turned and left.

Tsukishima stood behind the counter a little longer before his brain, his heart and his body aligned once again from the surprise so that he was properly fully functioning (kind of). “Holy shit,” he murmured, and then felt his lips curve into a small, involuntary smile.

 

* * *

 

Kenma was sitting on the couch with his laptop in his lap. He was playing _Undertale_ peacefully, quietly enjoying the music theme, when the door was quickly unlocked and then suddenly thrown open.

Kenma glanced up and found Kuroo grinning from ear to ear.

Kenma’s lips quirked up but he raised a single brow at Kuroo, in a ‘Didn’t I tell you?’ kind of way.

“Oh my god, Ken,” Kuroo said and dumped himself onto the couch beside Kenma, “you’re a genius. You’re my best friend.”

“I’m happy for you.” Kenma said, and he really was.

Kuroo looked really giddy about the whole thing, like the first time he’d managed an amazing volleyball save in middle school.

“He actually said yes! I was so nervous when I asked him, too. At first I thought that he was saying no to the date but then…”

Kuroo went on, gushing about the whole event, and then finally settled down in to a peaceful and blissful countenance.

This was interrupted a few moments later.

“I don’t think I’ve been on a proper date since high school.” Kuroo suddenly said.

“You haven’t.” Kenma confirmed.

“Shit. How do you even date, Ken?”

Kenma raised his brow. Yeah, he'd been on some dates before, but he was hardly a veteran.

“Fuck.” Kuroo whispered. He thought he’d gotten the hard part over and done with, but now he was starting to freak out about the date itself.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was meant to update yesterday, but I literally just kind of dropped into bed and read some of 'The Song of Achilles' by Madeline Miller, which is a STUNNING novel, by the way. After every page, chapter, sentence, I'm just blown by its beauty. It's a novel about Achilles and Patroclus being in lurvvvv, which is BEST. Also, if anyone's interested, definitely check out Captive Prince by CS Pacat - PRINCES FALLING IN LOVE IS ALWAYS GOOD.
> 
> Anywho, I hope you enjoy this and that life is treating all of you marshmallows well!!! xxx  
> 

“A date?!” Yamaguchi exclaimed, sitting up on the couch. He stared at his best friend. “You’re going on a date _tonight_ and you _didn’t tell me_?!”

Tsukishima shrugged. He wouldn’t have told Yamaguchi anything if only he hadn’t been so curious about why Tsukishima had asked him what would be good to wear.

“Oh my god. Aki!” Yamaguchi called loudly.

Tsukishima darted forward and picked up a pillow from the couch before hitting Yamaguchi with it, “Shut up!” He exclaimed, flushing.

“What? What is it?” Akiteru asked. He’d dashed from his room, eyes wide.

“Tsukki’s going on a – mmph!”

Tsukishima smothered the pillow onto Yamaguchi’s face. He turned to Akiteru, who slowly stood up straight and raised an eyebrow at him.

“Going on a what?” He asked, eyes narrowing suspiciously.

Tsukishima tried to think of an excuse. In that time, Yamaguchi tilted his head from the side of the pillow and yelled, “A date!”

“Tadashi!” Tsukishima exclaimed in horror before he narrowed his eyes and slammed the pillow onto Yamaguchi’s face. He heard his best friend muffle a pitiful, ‘Ow’ but he paid no mind to it. Yamaguchi deserved it anyway.

“On a _date_?” He heard Akiteru exclaim. “And you didn’t tell me?!”

“That’s what I said!” Yamaguchi yelled out again once he’d managed to wrangle the pillow from his face.

“It’s just a date, okay!” Tsukishima exclaimed, horrified that the two pushiest people about his love life had just found out about his date.

“‘Just a date’ he says,” Akiteru mocked him before he punched him hard in the arm.

“Ow,” Tsukishima complained and narrowed his eyes at his older brother.

“This is with Kuroo, isn’t it?” He didn’t give Tsukishima any time to answer before he exclaimed, “It totally is!” Yamaguchi was practically bouncing with excitement.

“Yes, it is, okay? Now can you two just shut up and tell me if I look okay?”

“You’re wearing that?” Yamaguchi asked, giving Tsukishima’s clothes a scan from top to bottom and back.

The scan didn’t look positive and Tsukishima frowned before looking down at his clothes. He was dressed in a white T-shirt, a black unzipped hoodie, black jeans and white _Nike Airs_ that his mom had bought for him last Christmas.

“What’s wrong with it?”

Apparently that was the wrong question.

Akiteru shook his head with a pitiful look in his eyes and Yamaguchi hefted a large sigh out of his lungs.

“Okay. You’re borrowing some of my clothes, little bro. You’re going on a _date_ , not the skate park.” Akiteru said and then pushed an offended and frowning Tsukishima into his room with Yamaguchi following.

 

* * *

 

Kuroo felt like his heart had beat all the way up to his throat and he was in danger of coughing it up. He had just parked his car outside of Tsukishima’s apartment building and was on his way up the elevator.

He had blankets and a stupid cheesy picnic basket waiting in his car that he had tried convincing himself would be super lame to bring but that argument had lost against Kenma’s and Akaashi’s raised brow and Bokuto’s loud encouraging hoots to bring it along (“Bring it to show that you care, and want to share! Because sharing is caring, bro!”).

He was dressed in a grey-to-black gradient knit sweater which was grey at his hips and then went completely black at his waist and along his arms, black jeans and matte black casual oxfords. Before leaving his own apartment, he had worried about if he was wearing too much black but Kenma had assured him that he looked great before he’d had to shove him out the door with his small arms.

He walked the last few steps to Tsukishima’s apartment door. He knew he needed to knock but all he wanted to do was curl in on himself and hope that the ground would swallow him up.

He stood there a few moments too long, checking his phone for the thousandth time – did he arrive too early? – before he actually managed the courage to knock.

He rapped against the door three times and then stood back, running his fingers through his hair one last time.

The door opened and he felt his heart stop. That was not Tsukishima but _oh god_ , that _was_ his older brother, Akiteru.

Kuroo didn’t know what to say. The last time he’d been over, he’d just been a friend. How was he supposed to even _greet_ Akiteru? Kuroo opened his mouth to speak, to say _something_ , but what could he say? ‘Hi, I’m here to take your little brother out on a date’?

But then he didn’t need to say anything.

Because Akiteru was giving him a too-sly smile.

“Hey man,” Akiteru said, “Taking my little bro out on a date, hey?”

Holy _shit_. Kuroo knew that Tsukishima had told him that Akiteru was _the worst_ , but he was _the worst_.

“Aki,” Kuroo heard Tsukishima say before the door was widening and Akiteru was being pushed out of the way for Tsukishima to let himself through, “That was _the worst_ thing to say.  Hey.” Tsukishima then said as he directed himself to Kuroo. He seemed more stiff than usual with a light rosy colour to his cheeks.

Akiteru was glancing between the two, looking extremely pleased.

“Hey.” Kuroo replied a little meekly because Tsukishima looked _cute_ (cut _er_ than usual, anyway). He was wearing a dark blue sweater rolled up to his sleeves, a grey, unzipped quilted vest, blue jeans and white _Nike Airs_. It was a little more dressy compared to his super casual style but Kuroo liked the look on him.

Akiteru grinned, “Have fun, okay?”

“Yeah.” Tsukishima said, “See you later.”

They both heard Yamaguchi call out a ‘Have fun!’ before Akiteru shut the apartment door and then they were left by themselves.

“Ready to go?” Kuroo asked nervously.

“Yeah.” Tsukishima replied, unable to keep his eyes on Kuroo for longer than three seconds.

They were going down the elevator when Kuroo spoke up again.

“You look nice, by the way.” He said, as casually as he could, feeling like there was something lodged in his throat.

How the fuck did Bokuto and Akaashi always have really nice Saturday night date nights like _this_?

“Thanks. You too.” Tsukishima replied and then practically ripped his way out of the elevator when the doors started opening.

Kuroo watched Tsukishima walk ahead of him. Maybe this was a pity date. Is that why Tsukishima was acting so weird and distant?

But then it was when Tsukishima had stopped outside of the building, not knowing where to go and had turned and asked ‘Where to?’ in a weird, monotone voice without being able to look at Kuroo, that Kuroo realised that Tsukishima was just being _shy_. _Way_ more shy than usual.

Which, yeah, should have been his first thought. But he’d been freaking out about his own thoughts too much.

He directed Tsukishima to his car and then they were both awkwardly sitting there, like they were strangers.

Before Kuroo started up the car, he felt like he needed to do something.

So he cleared his throat and then said, “Uh, listen, you don’t need to be so awkward.”

“I’m not.” Tsukishima replied quickly, after flinching. He obviously was.

“Tsukki, just.” Kuroo paused and ran his hand through his hair, face blooming red, “I like you.” _Oh fuck_. “Like, _really_ like you.” Shit, he just said that out loud. “Even if you tripped and like, really lamely fell down a hill - ” _what was he saying?!_ _“_ \- or even if you said you hated cats, I’d still like you. You don’t need to be so awkward. Hell, I’m super nervous right now, so we’re in the same boat.” Kuroo stammered super lamely and then wanted to just get out of the car and slowly slink into the nearest gutter he could find.

Tsukishima didn’t say anything for a long time, and right before Kuroo was about to say that they should go because the movie would start soon, Tsukishima managed to say, “I, uh, actually like dogs. More than cats. I like dogs more than cats.”

Kuroo felt his lips twitch up involuntarily, “Yeah, even though that’s a disgusting opinion, I, um, still like you. Movie?” Kuroo asked, turning to Tsukki and giving him a smile.

Tsukishima met his eyes nervously but appeared more at ease and then nodded, “Movie.” He replied, before Kuroo started up his car and they drove off.

“What are we watching, anyway?” Tsukishima asked after he’d cleared his throat, a little into the drive.

Kuroo, who felt a whole lot more comfortable and relieved that the insanely awkward mood had been dispelled, grinned, “ _Jurassic World_.”

Tsukishima snorted and Kuroo glanced away from the road to catch his small smile, before looking back.

“Perfect, right?” Kuroo asked.

“Yeah.” Tsukishima said softly.

Kuroo swallowed nervously at Tsukishima’s fond tone of voice.

Ever since Tsukishima had said yes to the date, Kuroo had noticed more of Tsukishima’s cute faces and responses, and exactly just how shy he was. It wasn’t even 15 minutes into their date yet, and Kuroo already wanted to probably kiss him. Make out. Touch him.

_No_ , he reprimanded himself, _No bad thoughts_.

He needed to take it slowly – way, _way_ more slowly than a one-night stand.

He needed to be _good_.

 

It wasn’t that long until they reached the outdoor movie theatre. There were already some cars parked around the area, but not a lot since they were early.

Luckily for Kuroo, Bokuto knew the best spot to park in.

“Bro, there’s this really nice place to park a little to the back of the area, with like, two trees on either side. It’s completely private man, or like, private compared to the open area” Bokuto had waggled his eyebrows at him, “If you wanna get a little frisk-ay, then you can in that spot, man. It’s great” He’d placed his arm around Akaashi after he’d said this, but Akaashi merely shook his arm off and stood to move away.

Kuroo parked in the spot. Not because he wanted to, as Bokuto called it, ‘get frisk-ay’ but because he thought it might be awkward to glance to the side and meet eyes with a total stranger in the next car over. Tsukishima would be more comfortable in this spot, too.

“You okay with parking here?” Kuroo asked.

“Yeah. This is good.” Tsukishima replied, glancing at the trees on either side and seeming appreciative of them.

“Uh, did you want to sit in the back seat to watch the movie? We can move the front seats so that they’re kind of out of the way.” Kuroo said.

“Okay.” Tsukishima said.

Before they got out, Kuroo turned on the radio and adjusted it so that they were connected to the movie’s soundtrack projection. “Is this loud enough?” Kuroo asked over the sound of the advertisements.

“Yeah, that’s fine.”

Then they opened their car doors, adjusted their seats and then headed to the back.

Kuroo felt his nerves spike up, knowing that the food and blankets were in the back. Maybe Tsukishima would think of it and him as super lame once he saw them. Shit.

They closed the back doors once they were seated in the back seats and then Tsukishima noticed the stupid basket thing that Kuroo had put the food in.

Kuroo watched him anxiously.

Tsukishima’s eyes had widened and blinked, before his face had gone pink and he’d turned away, “Y-You brought food?”

“And blankets.” Kuroo said, feeling completely relieved and kind of smug that he hadn’t been faced with Tsukishima’s interrogative/unimpressed eyebrow raise. _Thank you, Bokuto_.

“Thanks. Sorry I didn’t bring anything myself.” Tsukishima said, fiddling with his fingers.

“No way, it’s okay that you didn’t.” Kuroo replied and then considered saying the pick-up line that popped into his head.

“It’s more than enough that you brought yourself.” Yep. He said the pick-up line.

Tsukishima glanced up at Kuroo sharply, looking like he was trying to fight the inevitability of his smiling a small smile, and said, “You did not just hit me with a cheesy line.”

Kuroo grinned, leaning comfortably back in his seat, “I just did.”

“I can easily back out of this, er, date.” Tsukishima said, stammering over the word, glancing away as he said it.

“Sure.”

“I can.”

“Then back out.” Kuroo dared, eyeing Tsukishima with a pleased expression.

Tsukishima’s face was still pink but he just shot Kuroo a harmless glare.

Kuroo laughed.

“What’d you bring anyway?” Tsukishima asked, motioning to the basket with a curious look.

Kuroo grinned and pulled it into his lap before he rummaged through it, “Just some Cheeto Puffs, Nutter Butters, Oreos, Frito’s, some chocolate bars and of course – Redskins and Twizzlers.”

He looked up at Tsukishima, seeming proud of himself for bringing so much snacks.

Tsukishima snorted, “‘Just some,’” he mocked.

“Oh and I also brought Caramel Corn.” Kuroo said as he took it out of the basket, remembering the text that an unknown number – which had turned out to be Yamaguchi’s – had sent him that had said, ‘AT ALL COSTS, BRING CARAMEL CORN.’ Right before their date, Kuroo had gone to the nearest store and had bought a huge packet of it. When he’d texted Yamaguchi back with a simple ‘why?’, he’d gotten the reply of ‘YOU WILL THANK ME LATER’

It was worth buying it and he was definitely thanking Yamaguchi later.

Immediately, Tsukishima’s eyes caught on to it.

“I love Caramel Corn.” Tsukishima said in an almost-whisper, eyes never leaving the packet.

Kuroo smirked, so tempted to snort at how wonder-struck Tsukishima looked, and then handed the packet over.

“How’d you _know_?” Tsukishima asked and opened it.

“I think you mentioned it once.” Kuroo said smoothly, ever-smirking, not even trying to hide the fact that he was being too smug to be telling the truth.

Tsukishima quirked an eyebrow, as he crunched on the popcorn as soon as he opened it, “Did I?”

“Yeah.” Kuroo said.

Tsukishima narrowed his eyes at Kuroo.

Kuroo looked way too self-satisfied.

“Yamaguchi told you, didn’t he?”

Kuroo’s smirk transformed into a grin, “Yeah, he did. Before I picked you up, I went to the nearest store just to buy it for your high-maintenance self.”

Tsukishima rolled his eyes, but his lips quirked up, “Thanks.”

“All good, Tsukki. Also, don’t kill me, I haven’t actually seen _Jurassic World_.”

Tsukishima shrugged, “That’s okay. It can’t beat the classics, anyway.”

Kuroo looked to the side, “Uh yeah, I haven’t seen those either.”

Tsukishima frowned at him, looking offended and stopped chewing on the popcorn.

Kuroo laughed at his stupidly cute expression.

“That isn’t a laughing matter. We’re watching them later.” Tsukishima informed him.

“Setting up a second date already?” Kuroo teased.

Tsukishima’s face flushed but he ignored the comment.

It was kind of stupid how much fun Kuroo was having, not even 20 minutes into their date. The movie hadn’t even started, either. But just talking to Tsukishima and _knowing_ that he had said yes to go on a date with him, made him stupidly giddy.

 

* * *

 

“That was pretty great, Tsukki.” Kuroo said after the movie had ended and grinned at the blond. After the first 20 minutes of the movie, Tsukishima had relaxed and sat back completely against the car seat.

“The classics are better.” Tsukishima said, shooting Kuroo a very pointed look. Kuroo’s lips tilted up at it.

Then he looked at the mess they’d made of the snacks but was completely cool with it. Totally worth it. He’d have to vacuum the car later, but whatever.

“Sorry. About the mess.” Tsukishima said, catching Kuroo eyeing the crumbs.

“It’s fine.” He replied nonchalantly and stretched his arms out in front of him, feeling the tension in his shoulders. Cars were already starting to pull out from the theater.

Kuroo felt a small spark of nerves start up again as he turned to Tsukishima, “Do you want to get something to eat?”

Tsukishima glanced at the empty snack wrappers and then raised an amused brow at Kuroo, who ended up flushing.

“That’s a no?” He asked, feeling _stupid_.

“Oh,” Tsukishima said, face turning into a small look of surprise, “That’s not – I mean, yeah. I could go for something to eat. I just meant that look as a ‘You eat _so much_ so how are you still so –’” Tsukishima immediately stopped speaking. He froze and then his face went red.

Kuroo, realizing where Tsukishima’s sentence had been going, flushed red, too.

“I’m going to move to the front seat now.” Tsukishima said and then scrambled with the door handle until the door opened.

Kuroo sat, so embarrassed and so thankful for his fast metabolism and the swimming that kept him in shape, before he moved to open the car door as well.

Once they’d both gotten situated at the front, Kuroo turned to Tsukishima, “Anywhere specific you want to eat at?”

Tsukishima shook his head, “I’m fine with anything.”

Kuroo nodded, “There’s a good place a few minutes from here that make the _best_ paninis.”

“The best?”

“The best.”

“Sounds good.”

“This place scientifically _proves_ that more cheese is better than less.”

“Are you still offended that I didn’t want cheezy crust that one time?”

“Yes.” Kuroo answered and watched Tsukishima’s expression move into one of amusement. It was more open than usual, too – more expressive and Kuroo liked that, “You just simply cannot reject cheezy crust, Tsukki.”

Tsukishima rolled his eyes as Kuroo started up the car and drove them out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Date Night part 2 is next week! Sorry that I split it into parts, but these next few weeks are hectic since exams are coming up, so I've got some chapters pre-written to update every Tuesday until I can handle writing more for this fic!) xxx
> 
> [my tumblr](http://harehi.tumblr.com)   
>  [my twitter](https://twitter.com/jyioy)


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey buds! I got a mad-as migraine yesterday during one of my tutes so YEP, THERE'S THAT. I literally fell asleep as soon as I got home and when I woke up this morning, I had been sLEEPING FOR 12 HOURS. Note: I usually get 5-6 hours of sleep.  
> Anywho, THE BBYS ARE BACK.
> 
> I hope you are all having the time of your liiivesss xxxx
> 
> [my tumblr](http://harehi.tumblr.com)   
>  [my twitter](https://twitter.com/jyioy)

The small restaurant/diner was a few minutes from the drive-in theater in a moderately busy part of town, bustling with late-night eaters and shoppers, since the mall nearby closed later on Fridays.

The place was called _Panini Press_ , and Tsukishima raised a brow when he caught the sleek all-capital title in white letters, outlined with black, a little above the building.

They went in and chose to sit at a small booth near the back before they grabbed up the menus.

“I dare you to get the 4-cheese melt in whatever panini you order.” Kuroo said before Tsukishima had even had enough time to look through what the place offered.

He narrowed his eyes at Kuroo from across the light wooden table, “One kind of cheese is enough.”

“Trust me on this, Tsukki.” Kuroo said, “If you don’t like it, I’ll order a _measly_ 2-cheese melt panini and we can swap.”

Tsukishima studied him for a few seconds before nodding, “Fine.”

“Wait, so which one did you want?” Kuroo asked.

“Probably this one,” Tsukishima said after a quick scan and pointed to it on the menu. It had pieces of bacon in it, ham, tomato, mushroom and herbs.

“Cool. I’ll go pay.” Kuroo said and then stood from the table before Tsukishima could say anything.

Kuroo turned away to go walk up to the counter just as Tsukishima’s lips parted to say something like, ‘I can pay for mine’ but Kuroo probably wouldn’t let him anyway.

He felt his cheeks heat up.

They _were_ on a _date_ , after all. Kuroo had even paid for Tsukishima’s movie ticket – _and_ had brought the snacks.

Kuroo lined up and Tsukishima watched him a little abashedly. He really was handsome and nicely built. He had a really cool aura to him, too.

It was kind of crazy that _that_ – Tsukishima eyed Kuroo and his dark hair, his broad shoulders – would ask him out.

Kuroo turned to glance over at him while he waited in line and their eyes met.

Tsukishima immediately looked down at the table and slowly counted to five before looking up again. Unfortunately for him, Kuroo was still looking. He grinned and lifted a hand in a wave before he was called to make their order, his black faux-leather wallet opened in his hands

Tsukishima hoped that their date was going well. He himself was having fun, but he really hoped that Kuroo was having fun, too. He hadn’t really been on one. An actual date. He’d been too unsocial and rude in high school and had preferred to read books by himself to actually be romantically liked by anyone. He hadn’t really cared about dating either, or about much people in general.

Now, he almost kind of wished he had more experience than he did. Kuroo was usually always so cool and he looked like the kind of guy who’d done more than just kissing and holding hands – which, Tsukishima hadn’t really done either. He was so _inexperienced_.

Kuroo came back and grinned at him.

“Thank you for paying for me.” Tsukishima said quietly.

“All good, Tsukki. Date etiquette.”

Tsukishima snorted, “I’ll pay next time.”

“‘Next time’, huh.” Kuroo teased, “Where are you going to take me _next time_?”

Tsukishima blushed, “Shut up.”

“A ‘next time’ date would be nice though.” Kuroo then said, looking bashful.

“Yeah.” Tsukishima agreed.

Soon after some more conversation and the occasional stupid banter, they’d gotten their paninis.

“Tell me it’s the best. Tell me the 4-cheese melt is the best.” Kuroo said ecstatically after Tsukishima’s first bite.

It _was_ super cheesy, but Tsukishima had to admit that it was really fucking good.

“Fine. It’s the best.” He relented with a roll of his eyes.

“Yes!” Kuroo crowed, “Cheese is ultimate, Tsukki. And you made me get the measly 2-melt cheese too.”

“I’m not trading with you.”

“Because I’m a _nice_ date partner, I won’t make you.”

“I’m swooning.”

Kuroo laughed stupidly hard after Tsukishima said this because he had said it with such a neutral face and monotone voice that he couldn’t _not_ laugh at it. People glanced over at them and Tsukishima blushed, kicking Kuroo in the shins underneath the table, hissing ‘Stop laughing, it wasn’t that funny!’

 

 

“I’m definitely going back here.” Tsukishima said, looking a little forlornly up at the _Panini Press_ heading on the building as they left.

“Their breakfast paninis are delicious, too. They’ve got blueberry, pear and apple ones. Now come on, I need to take you home.”

Tsukishima nodded and got into the car, completely stuffed with food from all the snacks and the panini, but feeling completely content with the events of the night.

The drive was mainly comfortable silence since it was only a few minutes until they reached the front of Tsukishima’s apartment building.

But then suddenly, it became awkward.

“Want me to walk you up to your apartment?” Kuroo asked.

Tsukishima nodded once, nervously, “If you want to.”

“Yeah. I want to.” Kuroo said with a small smile before they got out of the car and walked in.

They went onto the elevator in silence and waited until the Tsukishima’s floor before getting off.

As they walked down the corridor, Kuroo coughed a little. “I had fun tonight.” He said.

“Me too.” Tsukishima replied.

“Uh, and I might have seemed like I was joking before or something, but we should go out again.” He paused but then quickly added, “If you want to, that is.”

“Yeah, that’d be nice.” Tsukishima said and he could see that they were getting closer and closer to his apartment door until – finally – they had stopped nearly right before it.

“Thank you for tonight,” Kuroo said, “and for saying yes.” He reached a hand up to clasp nervously at the back of his neck.

“Thank you for _asking_.” Tsukishima said quietly.

“It took so much courage,” Kuroo admitted, “to ask you out.”

Tsukishima glanced up at him, eyes widening a fraction, “Really?”

“You look like you’re doubting me.”

“I _am_.” Tsukishima replied, “because, _me_.” He made a small gesture with his hand that managed to motion toward the whole of him.

“Exactly. _You_.” Kuroo said, making that same motion with his hand. Was Tsukishima doubting himself and his moonlight skin, his long legs, his whisky-coloured amber eyes? That was so stupid. So stupid. He was fucking gorgeous. How did he _not_ know?

Tsukishima made some indistinguishable sound that Kuroo heard as denial.

“Tsukki, trust me. _You_. You’re smart, funny _and_ pretty.” He admitted, flushing at his confession.

“ _Pretty_.” Tsukishima repeated, long limbs awkward and not knowing what to do with themselves.

“Yeah,” Kuroo affirmed, watching the rise of red on Tsukishima’s face.

It was super cute. He swallowed a lump that had been in his throat.

“Tsukki,” he said, suddenly serious, “Would you hate it if I, uh, kissed you? Right now?”

His limbs and his face had been fluttering in embarrassment but now everything froze, his eyes wide and taken aback.

Kuroo ran a hand through his hair. Shit, was he demanding for too much, too soon? He tore his gaze away and to the ground and counted five before his lips parted to say something like ‘Sorry, that was too soon’ or ‘You can forget I asked’ but then Tsukishima spoke.

His voice was quiet and strangled so Kuroo had to listen intently, but he managed to hear what he said.

“Not really.”

Tsukki was way too tense.

“Are you dino- _sure_?” Kuroo whispered back to try and break some of the tension.

It worked. Tsukishima involuntarily snorted and met his eyes, amusement flashing through them.

“That was stupid.” Tsukishima said and then choked off his words when Kuroo stepped closer so that they were within each other’s space. Reflexively, Tsukishima took a step back and hit the wall of the corridor, but Kuroo only came forward after him.

“Are you, though?” Kuroo asked seriously, “Are you sure?”

Tsukishima watched him with wide eyes before nodding slowly, “Yeah.”

“Okay then. I’m going to kiss you di- _now_.” Kuroo said and moved _even more_ into Tsukishima’s space so that Tsukishima could see Kuroo’s thick lashes up close, his dilated pupils.

“S-Stop making dinosaur puns!” Tsukishima exclaimed, exasperated but also amused.

“Yeah yeah,” Kuroo said, lips tilting up in a smile despite the nerves coursing through his veins.

Then Kuroo’s face was coming closer and Tsukishima didn’t know what to do. How were you supposed to kiss?

Kuroo suddenly stopped, his cheeks flushed with pink, “Close your eyes, idiot.” He said, clearing his throat.

_Oh shit, right_ , Tsukishima thought and did so.

Kuroo watched the flush of red that covered Tsukishima’s face and the beginning of his neck. He looked at Tsukishima’s light brown lashes against his pale skin and swallowed nervously. How did he kiss people so easily before?

With a surge of courage, he leant forward and tilted his head a little to the side, heart beat pulsing loud in his own ears as he closed his eyes. Instinctively, his hand went to Tsukishima’s waist and he felt the blond flinch underneath his fingers.

Then their lips met, a soft and slow press. It was hardly M-rated – practically PG or even G-rated. But Kuroo’s nerves were sky-rocketing. Tsukishima’s lips were soft against his. A part of him wanted to hold Tsukishima to the wall and kiss the living daylights out of him, but they were both definitely not ready for that, from the way his heart was beating out of his chest like a hummingbird. Anything more and he was sure he would _die_.

Then, way too quickly, it was over.

Kuroo pulled away, only a centimeter or two, and Tsukishima’s eyes opened slowly, his face completely red. Kuroo’s face felt on fire, too. They probably looked like _idiots_.

Then he stepped back completely and ran his hands through his hair, noticing that Tsukishima was fiddling with his fingers.

“Thank you for tonight, Tsukki.” Kuroo practically whispered, not wanting to destroy the mood from their quiet, modest kiss. “I’ll, er, head off after you head in.” He motioned to Tsukishima’s apartment door.

Tsukishima nodded and then walked stiffly to his door, fumbling for his key from his wallet before he got it out.

Just as he unlocked the door, he turned around suddenly.

“Th-Thank you, too.” He said, voice soft and quiet, “I had fun.”

“Me too.” Kuroo replied, smiling at him.

Tsukishima glanced away and said, “See you soon,” before he was scampering inside and then shutting the door.

Kuroo stood there, staring at the door for a few seconds, just trying to properly breathe, before he walked back to the elevator, legs wobbly and hands clammy.

In the elevator, he covered his lips with his hand.

It was one kiss, but he was a _mess_.

He had to sit in his car for a few minutes to get himself together before he could drive off.

 

* * *

 

 

As soon as Tsukishima had closed the door, he had leaned his back against it and then his head, closing his eyes to try and calm himself down. No, wait, closing his eyes made the sound of his heartbeat more prominent, racing loud and erratic in his ears. He opened them again and just. Just stood there.

“Oh Kei!” Akiteru said, coming out from his room and seeing him, “How was your date?”

Tsukishima looked at his older brother with wide, deer-caught-in-headlight eyes.

Akiteru’s brows raised before one of them dropped and the other was kept raised. Akiteru’s lips rounded into a suggestive smile, “Swooped in on the first date, hey?”

Tsukishima felt his face flare up again – and just when he had _thought_ that his heart was starting to slow down.

“ _No_.” Tsukishima said and pushed off the door, legs weak. The house key was clammy in his hand, too.

He made a beeline for his room, but Akiteru followed him to the door, making stupid remarks and stupid ‘ehehey’ noises that Tsukishima kind of wanted to trip him up.

Just before he closed the door, he glimpsed the _super sleazy_ smile on Akiteru’s face and grimaced at it, before the door shut.

He stood there, hand on the doorknob for a few moments. Just. Just standing. Not thinking – or, trying not to think, at least. Whenever he thought, he’d always get glimpses of when he opened his eyes after the kiss and met Kuroo’s, remember Kuroo’s hand on his waist – soft and gentle and hardly there but _there_ , the feeling of his lips.

Tsukishima felt his face flare with heat and then he turned and walked to his bed before diving on to it. He took his glasses off before pressing his face into his pillow, heart beating solid and strong in his chest.

Kuroo had kissed him. He’d _kissed_ him.

Tsukishima felt like a school-girl, his heart all fluttery and jumpy at the fact that he’d just been on the best date with _Kuroo_. Cool Kuroo, who had tattoos, a smug smirk, wild raven hair and _a really nice body_.

Groaning, Tsukishima screwed his eyes shut. All his thoughts lead him back to Kuroo.

 


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Exams are heeectiiic.

The next two days after his date, Tsukishima didn’t have work.

On Sunday, Kuroo texted him.

 

            From: Kuroo  
            so do u want to come over?

            wait, that sounded sleazy. i wanna hang

 

Tsukishima blushed from where he’d been on his laptop in his room. Thankfully, Yamaguchi was catching up with some of his old friends while he had the chance, and Akiteru was out too. Tsukishima moved his laptop aside and texted back a response.

 

            To: Kuroo  
            yeah ok, when?

 

            From: Kuroo

            now? whenever u can come over

 

Tsukishima glanced at the time. It was 3:12pm. He could head over now.

 

            To: Kuroo  
            sure. i’ll be there in 30 mins

 

            From: Kuroo  
            cooliooo, c u soon  


Tsukishima closed his laptop and stood to go get changed into jeans and a nicer shirt when his phone vibrated again. He raised a brow at it but picked it up.

He opened Kuroo’s message and blushed.

Kuroo had sent him the blowing kiss emoji.

Tsukishima, face red with his heart violently starting up in his chest, sent back two angry, red-faced emojis.

A second or so later, he received a whole row of blowing kiss emojis.

Tsukishima snorted and then went to his room.

 

* * *

 

He arrived at Kuroo’s in black jeans, vans and a white sweater with a small cat face on the top right, where a chest pocket would usually go.

He knocked, heart beating persistently at his chest no matter how much he tried to calm himself down.

A few seconds later, the door opened and revealed Kuroo.

Tsukishima didn’t know what to do. All he could think about was their stupid kiss. He swallowed nervously.

Kuroo caught the action and grinned. “Hey.” He said and _leant forward_ , casually _pecking_ Tsukishima on the lips.

Tsukishima’s face changed into something; he felt his lips part open in surprise as Kuroo leant away, felt his eyebrows twitch upward, his eyes widen, his face flare.

“Come on in.” Kuroo said after looking at his face for a second or two, eyes warm, and held the door open.

Tsukishima walked in weakly. This was so _different_. Good – but _different_ (and still, good).

“Wh-What’re we doing?” Tsukishima asked, not turning towards Kuroo.

“I thought we could watch some _Brooklyn 99_. You said you hadn’t seen it before, right? It’s funny.”

Tsukishima nodded and said, “Sounds good.”

“Go ahead and sit on the couch. Also, Bokuto and I may have powered through a lot of snacks yesterday so we’re surviving on low supply here. Ken’s mom brought scones over, though. Do you want that with tea or coffee or something?”

Tsukishima nodded and Kuroo’s lip tilted up to one side at the action.

“There’re blueberry white chocolate ones and raspberry white chocolate ones. Take your pick.”

“Blueberry ones.” Tsukishima answered.

“Do you want any drinks? We’ve got tea, coffee and juice.” Kuroo asked, as Tsukishima heard the kettle going. Kuroo was probably making himself some tea since Kenma was the one who usually drank coffee.

“Tea.” He answered.

“Black or green?”

“Green.”

“Cool. You can turn the TV on if you want to and get ep 1 of _Brooklyn 99_ up.”

Tsukishima nodded and did so, occasionally glancing at Kuroo when he had his broad back turned toward him.

This was nice – so nice. It hadn’t felt this nice before, when they had been just friends. Now there was something warm and endearing about doing this together.

Soon enough, Kuroo came over with the tea and muffins. He sat right beside Tsukishima after putting them down on the coffee table in front of them, before he practically _placed an arm around him_ , resting on the arm of the couch.

Tsukishima tensed and felt his pulse kick up, before he leant forward and grabbed his tea. He needed something to hold on to. He took a small sip of the drink, wincing slightly as it near-scathed his tongue (thankfully, Kuroo had put some milk in it) and then kept it in his hands.

Soon enough, the first episode of _Brooklyn 99_ started playing.

Tsukishima’s brow quirked up when it started.

“ _This job is eating me alive…”_ Said the main guy on screen, the scene overlaid with dark tones, his voice rasped and husky.

“I thought this was a comedy.” Tsukishima said, frowning.

Kuroo grinned, “Just wait for it.”

After his epic speech, there was a sudden “ _Hey, what are you doing, weirdo?”_ And then the camera zoomed out, only to find the guy standing in an electronic shop, with his face casted on multiple TV screens.

Tsukishima snorted, “That’s stupid.” He said, before settling back a little more comfortably.

“This show is _great_.” Kuroo said.

Then, it was after a few episodes, when the clock had just hit around 6pm, that Kuroo started noticing that Tsukishima was getting quieter and quieter. He glanced over at him after he’d heard a small mumble and then paused, eyes drinking up the sight of Tsukishima leaning against the side-arm of the couch, eyes closed, long light brown lashes like delicate butterfly wings.

Kuroo’s lip curled up into a smile, and he turned down the volume of the TV before slowly standing from the couch. He went and grabbed up a blanket from where Ken and he kept them in a closet, and returned to spread it out on Tsukishima. He stood back after the blanket had been put in place and took a step back.

Tsukishima was so fucking cute.

Then, Kuroo turned and went into the kitchen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that this was short and nothing really happened - I'm studying for upcoming exams rn so I'm pretty busy. Next one will be longer!!! xx


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry the update is a little late! I read over what I was originally going to post and just thought 'NopenopenopenOPE' because I didn't like how it had turned out. But I'm coolio with the content of this chapter now :D  
> (I posted that there was going to be a small delay for this chapter on my tumblr - so sorry if some of you didn't get to see that)
> 
> Also, I'll be taking a break from posting next week since I am smack bang in the middle of exam prep/revision/death. Hope that's cool!! (But think! Since that simultaneously means that holidays are coming up, I'll be able to work on (longer) chapters more!!)
> 
> [my tumblr](http://harehi.tumblr.com)
> 
> xxx

Tsukishima blinked blearily as he started to slowly wake up from his sleep. He could hear a faint sizzling and simmering as he squinted at the TV that was still playing. But instead of _Brooklyn 99_ , it was some other movie or TV show. He paused and came more awake when he realised that he had _fallen asleep at Kuroo’s_. Sure, he hadn’t gotten much sleep the past few nights because all he could think about was Kuroo (and that stupid kiss) and he’d been trying to drown those thoughts out by reading, but falling asleep was _rude_ , wasn’t it?

He sat up after that thought and, still bleary-eyed, he glanced around the apartment until he found Kuroo in the kitchen, standing at the stove.

Almost like he’d sensed eyes on him, Kuroo glanced over.

He grinned, “One side of your hair is flat.”

Tsukishima blushed and violently ruffled the side of his head that he’d been sleeping on. Then he stood and stifled a yawn in front of Kuroo, limbs all loose and a little numb from his odd sleeping position.

“I’m sorry I fell asleep.” Tsukishima murmured, feeling a little out of sorts because of the nap.

“All good, Tsukki. But you might want to check your face in the mirror. I may have gotten a little artsy.” Kuroo shot him a mischievous look.

Tsukishima’s eyes widened and he immediately went to the bathroom after quickly turning his face away, thinking _Oh shit_. He fumbled for the light switch and when he finally clicked the light on in the bathroom, he blinked at himself in the mirror. His face was normal. There wasn’t any permanent marker or anything strewn over his face.

He frowned.

Then he went back out to the lounge, where Kuroo started snickering when he caught sight of Tsukishima’s sour expression. He was _clearly_ amused by his own joke.

 “You should have seen your face when I said it.” Kuroo huffed with a laugh.

Tsukishima’s lips pursed into a sour pouty face before he then noticed that Kuroo was holding a wooden spoon. His eyes travelled along the stove until he found a pan of simmering Bolognese sauce and a pot of spaghetti boiling away.

Tsukishima looked at the time. 9:46pm. He’d overstayed. He had initially planned to maybe leave around 8pm but the nap had ruined everything.

“Should I go?” Tsukishima then asked hesitantly, glancing towards Kenma’s room, who he assumed would come out to eat dinner with Kuroo.

Kuroo blinked at him a little before his lips slanted up, “I made _us_ dinner, Tsukki.” He said and then continued stirring the sauce.

Tsukishima slowly blinked back at Kuroo. “You cooked?” He asked afterwards, glancing towards the simmering pan – he could see meat-balls, some basil leaves and tomato skins that had parted from their flesh to became a part of the rich sauce in the pan. Kuroo had _actually_ cooked – and not the easy-peasy, just-add-sauce stuff. Tsukishima could see a chopping board to the side, and some cut-offs and peels from mushrooms, carrot and garlic cloves. “I didn’t know you cooked.” Tsukishima said, starting to get a little bashful while simultaneously thinking of all the times Kuroo had suggested ordering in and the times he’d been _whole-heartedly_ supportive of Bokuto’s similar exclamations and demands for take-out.

“Just for you, Tsukki.” Kuroo said with a waggle of his brow, and then - “Am I _impressing_ you?” He grinned.

Tsukishima didn’t answer straight away, as he started picking at his own fingers. Kuroo _was_ impressing him – and but he had impressed him during all the other times they’d hung out, too. Like when Kuroo had brought the blankets and the basket of food at the drive-in cinema and when he’d paid for their paninis and how he’d made Tsukishima tea and given him a really nice scone to go with it. Tsukishima had no idea how to repay all that back – he was too awkward to take the lead like Kuroo did.

He cleared his throat, “I guess.” He said, feigning indifference.

“Yeah yeah Tsukki.” Kuroo said as he shot him a warm and amused look before he ignored him and went back to the stove. He stirred the sauce a few more times and took a small taste test before he turned the stove off.

He went to drain the pasta and Tsukishima cleared his throat again, “Do you need any help?”

“You can get the plates, if you want to.” Kuroo put forth.

Tsukishima nodded and did so, simultaneously grabbing cutlery for the both of them.

“Do you eat spaghetti with a spoon or a knife?” He asked Kuroo, looking at both of the different cutlery.

“Spoon – _obviously_. Tsukki, if you use a knife and fork to eat your spaghetti, then we can’t know each other.”

Tsukishima snorted, “I use a spoon.”

“ _Good_. Because Bokuto uses a knife and that’s stupid. Oh hey, watch out a sec.” Kuroo said as he brought over the drained pasta. He grabbed up a pair of tongs and then swirled the pasta onto the plate in a neat arrangement of noodles. “Go sit down,” Kuroo said, “I’ll bring the pasta in a second.”

Tsukishima wanted to do more – to help more, but Kuroo turned to the stove and instead, he went and sat at the dining table.

Kuroo ladled some of the Bolognese sauce onto the pasta and then brought the plates with the cutlery to the table where Tsukishima was sitting, slowly fiddling with his fingers underneath the table.

“Also hey, we could be completely fancy and drink wine.” Kuroo said.

Tsukishima swallowed the lump in his throat. Pasta and wine. That was… That was the like, number one combination meal to _woo_ – he’d seen that shit on movies. “Sure.” He said, surprisingly more even than he thought he’d say it.

“‘kay then, gimme a sec,” Kuroo said after he placed the plates down. He strolled back to the kitchen and got a bottle of wine from one of the cabinets and two wine glasses. He came back to the table (while raising his eyebrows at the fancy glasses) and poured them both a drink before placing the bottle down. “Oh wait,” he said suddenly as he remembered something and then turned to the kitchen again. He opened the fridge before taking out a small container of shredded parmesan cheese. He returned and raised it so that Tsukishima could see what he’d gone back for. “I couldn’t forget the cheese.”

Tsukishima rolled his eyes, “Of course you couldn’t.”

“ _Cheese_ , Tsukki, why do you have to be so negative all the time?” Kuroo asked, sitting down and looking completely pleased at his pun, saying ‘cheese’ instead of ‘jeez’.

Tsukishima dead-panned him, and only received a laugh in return.

Then, turning from Kuroo, he swirled a small portion of the pasta onto his fork using the spoon and then ate it.

Kuroo was looking at him expectantly, half hopeful and half cringing at what the outcome would be.

“It’s good.” Tsukishima said simply, and it was. Better than what he’d expect from someone who he’d never seen cooking or even mentioned with the idea of cooking.

Kuroo looked relieved at the answer and then started eating himself. “Ken taught me how to cook, actually.”

“Kenma did?”

“Yeah, after first year, when I had pretty much eaten fast food and take-out for meals all year.”

Tsukishima made a small cringed face at the thought of that. He liked fast food and take-out but he couldn’t imagine eating it all the time, especially since his mom always called Aki and him to make sure that they were eating properly.

“Your first year sounds hectic.” Tsukishima commented, recalling the silly stories that Kuroo had told him about.

Kuroo made a scrunched-up kind of face, “I wish it weren’t as hectic as it had been. You don’t know even know how many _stupid_ pick-up lines worked for me when everyone was drunk.”

Tsukishima snorted, “Pick-up lines? Working? God.”

Kuroo grinned at him, “Know any good dino pick-up lines?”

Tsukishima took a second to think and was about to tell him ‘No, I don’t, actually,’ when he realised that he did. He really did.

“No.” He said, instead of the truth.

Kuroo laughed and then, his lips set in an amused line, he said back, “You do.”

Tsukishima placed his cutlery down and looked at Kuroo in defeat. “I do.” He admitted.

“So? What is it?”

“No.”

“It’s bound to be bad, I don’t have any expectations for it to be good, so no worries at all, Tsukki.”

Tsukishima took a second to regret ever admitting that he knew one before he announced it with a straight-face: “Are you a bag of dinosaur bones? Because I _dig_ you.” He then raised a single brow at Kuroo as if to say, ‘See? It’s bad.’

Kuroo – bless him – laughed and then laughed some more when Tsukishima’s face turned from unimpressed to _really_ unimpressed.

“That’s horrible.” Kuroo commented after he’d stopped laughing and Tsukishima had ceased his unimpressed look. “Did I tell you that Bokuto and Akaashi actually _met_ at a party – and because Bokuto had tried using a pick-up line on Akaashi?”

Tsukishima’s lips tilted at that as he took a drink of his wine, feeling it start to warm down his throat. “That sounds like Bokuto.”

“I think he used an owl pick-up line.”

“Now that you mention it, all the owl memes remind me of Bokuto.”

Kuroo grinned, “Right? But what’s stupid is that it _worked_. They’re legitimately dating and stupidly lovey dovey, Tsukki. Because of a _pick-up_ line.”

“The power of pick-up lines.” Tsukishima murmured behind his glass of wine, feeling a little more comfortable as it made him start to feel a little toasty and warm.

“The pick-up line must have been a real _hoot_ , hey.” Kuroo then said.

Tsukishima huffed a laugh and went on to eat more spaghetti as Kuroo carried the conversation so that Tsukishima didn’t have to fill in silent gaps and could respond with answers and comments.

Kuroo made it so easy for him to talk back and also to listen.

He was comfortable.

 

* * *

 

 

Soon, Tsukishima finished up the last of his pasta and took his wine glass in his hand to take another drink of it. He was feeling completely toasty now – and possibly a little sleepy but Kuroo had made it too fun for him to want to even sleep.

“All finished?” Kuroo asked as he stood and collected their plates, after having waited the few minutes more it took Tsukishima to finish before he stood up.

“I can help with cleaning up.” Tsukishima started and then went to stand as well.

“No way,” Kuroo said quickly as he cast him a ‘Stay put’ look, “you’re a guest so you can’t.”

Tsukishima rolled his eyes but his lips tilted up.

As he finished off his wine, he took his phone out and glanced at it. _Oh shit_ , he thought. It was already nearing 11pm and he couldn’t miss the last bus home otherwise not only would he be endlessly teased by Akiteru and Yamaguchi, but then he’d have to _stay over_ at Kuroo’s, which – he really wasn’t mentally prepared for that.

“I should probably get going,” Tsukishima said, standing from the table and going to the kitchen with their empty wine glasses.

Kuroo turned from putting the dishes in the sink and sighed theatrically, “If you must.”

Tsukishima rolled his eyes at him for the umpteenth time that night before he smiled, “But really though, thank you for cooking and sorry that I lamely fell asleep.” He said, looking sheepish.

“All good, Tsukki.” Kuroo said softly as they walked towards the door of the apartment together.

Tsukishima paused at the entrance, turning to glance at Kuroo nervously before he cleared his throat nervously and turned, murmuring a quick, “See you later.”

But before he could open the door, a hand stopped him. Kuroo had placed his hand over the hand Tsukishima had used to reach for the door knob. _Movie scene_ , Tsukishima thought somewhere at the back of his mind.

“You forgot something.” Kuroo said softly and _holy god,_ Tsukishima was not mentally prepared for this.

But he couldn’t help turning back around to Kuroo, taking in the way that Kuroo was close to him, the way his eyes had darkened, how he looked so _serious_ compared to the joking self he’d put forth throughout the whole night.

Then he had leaned closer and Tsukishima held his breath and shut his eyes just in time, before Kuroo’s lips were on his.

It was their second kiss, and Tsukishima felt like he was about to combust, what with his heart beating persistently in his chest. But this time, instead of a simple press of their lips, Kuroo actually started moving them.

Tsukishima let out a small sound of surprise, not knowing what to do, completely _panicking_ – but then Kuroo’s hand was gentle at his waist and gentle at cupping his jaw and the wine, all warm and like a small, slow-burning fire running through his veins, lulled him a little. He tried to relax against Kuroo, and tried to move his lips with him – trying not to think about how much of a complete failure he was, as his heart beat spiked and spiked.

Kuroo pulled away and Tsukishima thought the kiss was over, and he breathed a little roughly – a pant, really, and was about to open his eyes and stutter out a ‘goodbye’, but then Kuroo’s lips were on his again, and Kuroo’s body pressed his back against the front door.

From his surprise, Tsukishima’s hand shot up to grip at Kuroo’s arm, and stayed there as Kuroo kissed him and even as he pulled back, pressed one last peck to his lips and then stayed back.

Tsukishima felt like jelly. He opened his eyes, lips damp, the tickle of desire and want just started up in his lower abdomen – thankfully ended, before anything completely embarrassing could have… _arisen_.

Kuroo was looking at his lips as he spoke, voice a little rough. “You should go.” He said.

Tsukishima dumbly nodded, and released Kuroo’s forearm from his grip before he turned, hesitated and then turned back. _This is for the pasta, as repayment_ , he assured himself before he mustered up the courage to do it.

He laid a small peck on Kuroo’s cheek, “Bye!” He exclaimed and then rushed away, blaming everything on the wine.

 

* * *

 

_That was dangerous_ , Kuroo thought, as he collapsed onto his bed after Tsukishima had left.

He had been completely tempted to take things way, _way_ further than just kissing. The way that at first, Tsukishima had been stiff about the kiss had made him worry that maybe he had been jumping the gun, but then afterwards – when he had felt Tsukishima start to almost relax against him, kissed him back, held onto his arm… Kuroo had wanted to do _bad_ things.

Kuroo didn’t want to push for too much, only to be pushed away.

There was something so hesitant in Tsukishima’s actions that made Kuroo want to take things slow.


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! IM BACK, I have one last exam before I have a month holiday (thank god!) - fingers crossed this one goes well!  
> ENJOY! xx
> 
>  
> 
> [my tumblr](http://harehi.tumblr.com/)

Tsukishima was at _The Book Keeper_ again when his phone vibrated on the counter.

 

            From: Kuroo

            hey, if ur store isn’t busy, wanna grab lunch?

 

Tsukishima glanced around the store. No one. He looked at the clock. It was nearly 12PM. He looked back down at his phone screen and typed a short response.

 

            To: Kuroo

            Sure.

 

            From: Kuroo

            i’ll head to urs

 

Then Tsukishima grabbed up the keys from behind the counter where they hung safely, and went to the front door to change the sign from ‘Open’ to ‘Closed’. The owner, his boss, had given him free reins to close and open the store if he wanted to head out to the food court for lunch, but Tsukishima hadn’t really bothered much with the liberty and instead usually bought his lunch before he had to work to eat it in the shop – sometimes he even brought some food from home. He didn’t really have a huge appetite in general, to begin with anyway.

Two or three minutes later, after standing in front of _The Book Keeper_ , Kuroo came along. He was wearing a solid-black sweater, drop-crotch pants in a black-and-white knit texture pattern and black high-tops.

“Hey Tsukki, did you wait long?” Kuroo asked, grinning and then leaning forward to place a peck on his cheek.

“Just a minute or two.” Tsukishima murmured, clearing his throat and trying to look as nonchalant as possible.

“Cool, did you have anything you specifically wanted to eat? If you don’t, then we could totally go to this one place that I’ve heard is good, but if you do, then we can always go there another time.” Kuroo grinned at him.

“I don’t mind.”

“How long is your break?”

“It’ll be fine as long as I don’t leave the store too long. It’s not busy, anyway.”

“Good, shall we go?” Kuroo asked.

Tsukishima nodded and followed him.

“Wait… Are we leaving the mall?” Tsukishima asked, realising that they were headed to one of the mall exits, where there weren’t any food places.

“Yeah. We could buy some lunch from this one café that Ken recommended, and then we could go sit at a park – if you wanted to?” Kuroo asked, and there was a tic of nerves about him that wasn’t usually there.

Tsukishima nodded and when Kuroo nodded back a little too energetically and then turned back to keep leading them. Tsukishima narrowed his eyes at the back of his head, wondering why he was nervous.

Maybe he thought that Tsukishima was a horrible kisser and didn’t like him anymore ( _God_ , he thought to himself _, that sounded so juvenile_ )? But he couldn’t help thinking worse things. Maybe Kuroo had just lost interest and had wanted to let him down in an easy way so of course they’d go to a nice, peaceful, secluded park. Tsukishima wasn’t used to things like this after all – whatever they were, and he knew he was shit at expressing himself. What if Kuroo had interpreted him incorrectly?

These thoughts stewing in his head (trying _not_ to think about horrible possibilities only made it _worse_ ), Tsukishima was lead into Kuroo’s car, before they drove to the nearest park.

Usually, Kuroo would talk to him in the car, with some music quietly playing from the radio – but this time, Kuroo turned the music up louder than usual and didn’t say anything at all.

Maybe Kuroo felt awkward about breaking off whatever it was that they had with one another, and that was why he was so stiff.

Tsukishima immediately felt awkward himself. He should say something, right? Before Kuroo bought him lunch and spent his money on buying him food like he usually always did.

Tsukishima started feeling really down, too. _You have no reason to be upset_ , he told himself a little too sternly. What did they have together anyway? A few nice ( _really_ nice) conversations and some fumbling kisses. That wasn’t anything permanent.

Tucking away his disappointment and the urge to just go home and curl up in his bed for a few hours after having convinced himself that _yep_ , _he’s cutting things with me_ , he was about to open his mouth to speak, to ask Kuroo to bring them back to the mall but then Kuroo beat him in speaking.

“We’re here.” He said, a little shakily, like he was walking towards the edge of a plank above the plunge into a dark ocean.

Tsukishima bit his lip. He really didn’t want to say goodbye to Kuroo yet. At all. Not at all. He _really_ liked Kuroo. So much.

Kuroo parked at one of the car parks that bordered the park with its green grass, wooden benches and tall trees swaying very slightly in the light breeze.

“C’mon, the café’s right across the park.” Kuroo said and opened his door. He got out of the car, and Tsukishima was still hesitating in speaking, in giving Kuroo the comfort to tell him that he didn’t want him at all, that he had to get out of the car to catch up with him.

They walked a little across the park, past a circle garden of colourful flowers and the buzzing ladybugs and bees. It was a pity that this park was so pretty, Tsukishima thought, because after today, all he’d have of this nice place would be bad memories.

Figuring that they had walked far enough, and too close to the café for Tsukishima to want to risk missing his chance, he spoke.

“Wait,” he said.

Kuroo did immediately and turned around.

“What is it?” He asked, and even his ‘normal’ smile looked a little off.

Tsukishima exhaled a long, slightly shaky breath.

“I get it.”

Kuroo’s brows shot up and his lips parted to say something –

“You don’t. You don’t have to explain anything.” Tsukishima said awkwardly, feeling his face heat up.

“I don’t?” Kuroo practically squeaked.

Tsukishima really wanted to do that whole curling up thing at home right at that moment, feelings of dread arising at his realising what was actually happening.

“Thanks, though.” Tsukishima said awkwardly.

He felt his eyes start to heat up.

“I’m, uh, I can catch a bus – back to the mall.”

“Wai – ”

“Don’t worry about it, Kuroo. Really. I understand.”

“Tsukki, I really think you have the wr – ”

“ _I’m fine_.” Tsukishima said, feeling anything but.

Before he could turn away, Kuroo let out a groan that sounded agitated and impatient.

“This was meant to be more romantic and momentous.” Kuroo whined, ruffling his hair violently, making it stand on end even more crazily than it usually did.

Tsukishima blinked, “Wha – ”

“I wasn’t going to… To _stop_ whatever this was, Tsukki. Jeez.” Kuroo said.

“You weren’t?” Tsukishima asked, and relief washed through him. _Thank God_ , he thought, his eyes heating up for a whole other reason.

“I wanted to buy you a stupid muffin or a croissant and some hot tea, or an iced tea or something – whatever you wanted – and then I wanted to bring you back out to the park, where we could sit on the benches or on the grass by the flowers, and then… And then.” He started looking nervous again, “I _totally_ wanted to ask you – or very smoothly and casually bring it up – if you wanted to uh, be my _actual_ , _official_ boyfriend. Or something. Whatever. If you’re not into labels, then we could totally be an official thing, but not a labelled thing, if that was what you wanted to do – if you even wanted to be a thing, that is. Totally up to you. I mean, I’m in, I threw all my cards in, whatever, so it’s up to you. But don’t feel like you _have_ to say yes – say no! If you want to. You can _totally_ say no.” Kuroo looked like he wanted to say more, but then he also looked like he was forcing himself to _shut the fuck up_.

Tsukishima though, was frozen where he stood. So this had totally took a turn from what he’d expected – a complete 180. He was aware of the heat that was slowly starting to bloom on his face, but he had no _words_. Even his brain had kinda slowed down.

Despite Kuroo’s blubbering, the words that had really stuck with Tsukishima were ‘actual, official boyfriend’. He repeated it in his head a few times.

 _Boyfriend_. _Boyfriend. Boyfriend._

Holy _shit_.

“Uhh, Tsukki…?” Kuroo asked, sounding like he was wincing.

Tsukishima didn’t know how to reply. He felt like he was about to malfunction – like his whole system was over-heating.

“Is that a no?” Kuroo asked, and he sounded like he was wincing even harder.

Tsukishima’s gaze snapped up, and he _did_ have something to say, he swore, but it all escaped him again when he looked at Kuroo.

Kuroo, who _always_ looked nice, who had abs that literally looked like they were photo-shopped or something, who was completely gentlemanly despite his lazy eyes and lazy smile and his stupid hair, who had a very _real_ side to him and _who wanted Tsukishima_ , _head-nerd of life, to be his_ boyfriend.

“You might have noticed,” Tsukishima instead started off, mouth feeling dry, “that I’m _really_ bad at _emotions_.” Who openly admitted that? “I’ve, um, never actually _been_ in a relationship, by the way – and I might completely suck at it, but um, okay.”

“Okay…?”

Tsukishima nodded.

“Wait,” Kuroo stammered, “that’s… That’s a yes? To the boyfriend thing?”

Tsukishima nodded again. He felt like the sun was literally in his skin.

Then Kuroo was right in front of him, close – too close.

“Are you… Are you okay with being publicly official?” Kuroo asked, voice low.

Tsukishima nodded once, “I don’t mind.”

He needed to tell Akiteru, Yamaguchi, _his parents_. Oh god, his _parents_. They knew he was gay and were completely fine with that, but his mom would be _so annoying_ because she’d only _just_ be hearing about a sudden boyfriend.

“I don’t mind either.” Kuroo said and then leaned towards Tsukishima.

Tsukishima shut his eyes, and readied himself for a kiss, but blinked his eyes open when Kuroo ended up resting his forehead on his shoulder, near to the junction of his neck.

“Kuroo?” Tsukishima asked unsurely.

“Gimme a minute.” Kuroo said, voice a little muffled.

A small smile twitched up on Tsukishima’s face as his hand reached up to rest at Kuroo’s back.

“If I kissed you right now, I wouldn’t be able to stop.”

Tsukishima, completely embarrassed but completely happy, snorted softly, “Was that another of your stupid cheesy lines?”

Kuroo made an amused sound, “Shush. You’re ruining this for me.”

Tsukishima leaned a little more into Kuroo, warmth thrumming through his veins, lips threatening to transition into a grin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yo I realised that this chapter could have totally been the ending of this fic. It's literally the dorkiest. :') But I promised you guys smut and I WILL GIVE YOU SMUT. VERY EVENTUALLY. :D
> 
> See you next week!!! <3


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> STOP. AND READ THIS (just in case).  
> So there aren't any m a j o r manga spoilers in this, but I do mention a certain... snake character. He'll be further mentioned in the next chapter or so, but there won't be any manga plot spoilers.  
> Just thought I'd warn you because I know that sometimes, even the smallest spoilers can irk me!
> 
> ALSO I'm changing my update day to Friday as a change of pace :D Sorry I didn't mention this earlier! Hope you're having a good day, guys!! ^^ xxxxx

“Tsukishima Kei!”

Tsukishima winced at the exclamation on the other side of his cell phone and held the device away, waiting until the squawking stopped.

He tentatively placed it back at his ear, “Hi mom.” He said.

“Your _brother_ had to tell me that you _got a boyfriend_!” Though she’d initially sounded cross, she had managed to  end the word ‘boyfriend’ in a lilting sing-song tune, and Tsukishima could practically picture her small form in his head – she’d complained so much when Akiteru had grown taller than her, and then more when he had - standing at their phone by the kitchen.

“We only just started dating.” Tsukishima said a little hesitantly. _Dating_.

“Yes, but apparently you’ve been friends with your Kuroo for weeks now, Kei. I should have known!”

“He’s not _mine_.” Tsukishima exasperated, starting to feel bashful.

“But he’s quite a looker, your Kuroo,” his mom went on totally ignoring Tsukishima’s comment, “Akiteru showed me his _Facebook_ profile.” She enunciated the word ‘Facebook’ because she was horrible at using it by herself and prided herself in her occasional – and very minimal – accomplishments when using it.

Tsukishima groaned quietly. _Why_.

“ – and he looks like a nice boy, honey.”

Tsukishima paused, “You’re okay with him? And dad?”

“Why wouldn’t we be? He isn’t bad, is he?”

He wasn’t – definitely not when you got to speak to him more. But on appearance only, he _did_ kind of look like a ‘bad’ sort.

“Oh,” His mom started, “well, if you mean the tattoos, I was surprised when I saw them, but as long as you’re fine with him and he treats you nicely, then your dad and I are happy.”

“Thanks mom.” Tsukishima murmured quietly.

There was a small moment of pause, where he could practically _see_ her smile widen, her eyes – the same colour as his and Akiteru’s; an amber whiskey – growing warmer, her face lighting up.

“You should bring him to visit!” She suddenly exclaimed.

Tsukishima snorted, “We _just_ started dating. Maybe later.”

He could _hear_ her pout – an almost child-like expression that Akiteru had _definitely_ inherited. Then she sighed theatrically before whispering, “I expect adopted grandkids,” and then hanging up.

Akiteru came back from the kitchen with their dinner and glanced at Tsukishima’s scrunched up face before laughing.

 

Tsukishima and Kuroo made their dating status _Facebook_ official.

Expectedly, _many_ people reacted. After all, it was college break, and according to practically everyone, Tsukishima and Kuroo hadn’t even known one another _during_ college.

 

**Hinata Shoyo** WHAT?! TSUKISHMIA UR D8ING KRUOO HOW DID THIS HAPPEN @KENMA TELL ME

 

**Tanaka Ryunosuke** get it, tsukishima!

 

**Haiba Lev** who?! kuroo, who is this blond?!

 

**Haiba Lev** but congratzzzz!!!

 

**Sugawara Koushi** Congratulations, Tsukishima!

 

**Bokuto Koutaro** YEAH BROOOOOO, AFTER ALL THAT PINING, FINALLY

 

**Kuroo Tetsurou** @Bokuto BRO.

 

**Akaashi Keiji** Congratulations

 

**Yamaguchi Tadashi** Congrats, you two!!!! :D :D

 

**Oikawa Tooru** tHIS is y u havent been to the bar isnt it!!!! @Iwaizumi i told you!!!

 

**Yaku Morisuke** Congratz! Happy for you!

 

**Daichi Sawamura** All the best to you both! Congratulations!

 

**Iwaizumi Hajime** Congratz to you. @Oikawa I was the one who told _you_.

 

Tsukishima texted Kuroo straight after.

 

            To: Kuroo

            I didn’t know we shared so many friends

 

            From: Kuroo

            me neither. why hadn’t we met beforehand

 

            From: Kuroo

            speaking of friends, one of them is getting engaged

            and the engagement party is soon, before college starts up

            and i still need a date…?

           

From: Kuroo

totes cool if u don’t wanna go or don’t want to be THAT public yet

            but yeah, if ur down, wanna be my date??

 

            From: Kuroo

            i think you’re mutual friends with yaku on fb?

            its his engagement party to lev

            who you’ve probs noticed around campus because HES TALL

            s o   t a l l

 

Tsukishima snorted at all the texts.

 

            To: Kuroo

            Sure.

            I don’t really _know_ Yaku. We’ve talked briefly before though.

            I haven’t talked to Lev at all.

 

            From: Kuroo

            YAY

            it’s the week before college break is ooovvveerrr

            anyway, its nearly lunch time. wanna come to _BTS_

we can get lunch, too

 

Tsukishima took a moment to think behind _The Book Keeper’s_ counter. He’d always been curious about his workplace since he’d met Kuroo.

Even though Tsukishima worked at the mall and he knew that Kuroo did too – at a boutique called _BTS_ , he’d never actually seen it since it had opened only last year. It was close to his work-place too but he’d never walked that way through the mall. He walked from the opposite direction to _The Book Keeper_ and then walked back that way after he’d closed up the store.

Pondering a moment longer, and glancing around to find no customers in the store, he texted Kuroo back.

 

            To: Kuroo

            I’ll be there soon then.

 

            From: Kuroo

            ILL W8 4 U

 

Tsukishima’s lips twitched upward at the text before he pocketed his phone and went to close the store.

 

* * *

 

Soon enough, he was flipping _The Book Keeper’s_ ‘OPEN’ sign to ‘CLOSED’ and posting an ‘On Lunch Break’ sign before shutting the store’s door and then locking up.

Tsukishima usually didn’t go into fashion stores. He glanced down at his simple white shirt, grey jacket and black jeans. He didn’t really invest much in clothing and accessories. Nonetheless, he started walking towards where _BTS_ would be.

He walked a little down the mall and had to take a turn to the right before he arrived at a segment of the mall which hosted various fashion stores. Glancing warily at all the mannequins in knit-sweaters, patterned jack shirts and all the silky, expensive material shirts made him more doubtful of his decision to visit Kuroo. Maybe he should just head back to the bookstore.

But then, up ahead, in bold and structured capital letters, Tsukishima saw _BTS_. He looked up at the sign a little unsurely before he walked on forward. He’d told Kuroo he’d come, and Kuroo had said he’d wait.

He approached it very slowly, peeking in before the workers could see him. The store sold modern fashion, like oversized coats, black t-shirts with witty and sometimes cynical captions, patterned and faux-leather backpacks, mustard knits, pastel shirts, black jeans with knee-cuts, stylish shoes _and more_.

It was a modern hipster’s wet-dream.

Then Tsukishima spotted Kuroo who was dressed just as stylishly as one of the mannequins. He was wearing a casual slim, square-collared, single-buttoned black and white long-coat that reached down mid-thigh with the cuffs rolled up just before his elbows, black suit pants, a grey shirt tucked into the hem of his pants and black and white vans. He was. So. _Stylish_. Tsukishima hadn’t seen him dress that stylishly before.

Tsukishima kind of didn’t want to head in anymore. Especially when he’d managed a look at the two other employees manning the boutique with him.

One of them was a small girl with a shade of blonde hair that was a little like his own, who was wearing a white, floral cropped shirt, a loose and flowy peach skirt, a cream knit cardigan and ballerina flats.

The other one was just as stylish – his hair was styled in chocolate spikes, and he was dressed in a silver bomber jacket, a white dress-shirt that was buttoned up completely, black cropped jeans and a pair of white vans.

Contemplating whether he _should_ just turn around now, Tsukishima didn’t notice the small girl with the blonde hair coming up to him, outside of the store.

“U-Um, hi, did you want to come inside and look at the style?” She asked, blinking up at him nervously.

Tsukishima blinked down at her, “What style?” He asked.

She pointed at the mannequin, “I thought you were looking at this one… Unless you weren’t?! Then in that case, I’m so sorry I interrupted you!!” She exclaimed, before continuously blabbering and floundering her multiple apologies so nervously that… That Tsukishima started to feel comfortable.

“I’m, uh, here to see Kuroo.” Tsukishima said, after having a split-second contemplation of using the term ‘boyfriend’ before he’d chickened out.

“Oh!” She chirped, “Well in that case, you can come on in anyway. We aren’t really busy at the moment.”

“Thank you.” Tsukishima said, and followed her in.

“I’m Yachi, by the way.” She said, all kind and bubbly, smiling up at him.

“Tsukishima.” He introduced himself.

Something lit up in her eyes as she led him deeper into the store, “AH!” She suddenly exclaimed, “ _You’re_ Tsukki – Kuroo’s boyfriend, right?”

Tsukishima flushed a little at her exclamation – _boyfriend –_ and also wanted to face-palm at Kuroo spreading around the nickname he called him by. “Yeah.” Tsukishima answered simply, clearing his throat.

“Kuroo, Tsukki’s here.” Yachi called out as they neared Kuroo and the other male worker with the brown spiked hair.

“Hm?” Kuroo sounded as he turned from their conversation. His eyes fell on Tsukishima and immediately, a grin came onto his face.

“Tsukki, hey.” He said.

“OH! You’re Kuroo’s boyfriend!” The brown-haired guy exclaimed.

Tsukishima nodded.

“Yep, this is Tsukki.” Kuroo replied. Then he motioned to Yachi, “That’s Yachi – if you didn’t already know,” he motioned to the brown-haired guy, “and this is Inuoka.”

“Hey, it’s good to meet you! I’ve already heard many things about you!” Inuoka exclaimed, genially grinning.

Tsukishima side-eyed Kuroo, who didn’t look more sheepish than he should have.

“Oh! You have to help me convince Kuroo to come to a party tomorrow night!”

Kuroo made a face almost like a blanch. “Nah, I saw the event thing on _Facebook_ and Suguru and his snakes are going so it won’t be fun at all.”

Tsukishima raised a brow. He’d heard only fleeting comments about this guy, Suguru, but had gathered that they hadn’t been on the best of terms since high school.

“You could invite Tsukki!” Inuoka suggested.

Tsukishima’s brow raised even further.

Kuroo glanced over at him, considering it. Then, a moment later, he nodded. “Sure. If Tsukki goes, I’ll go.”

“Why do I have to decide.” Tsukishima murmured to himself.

Kuroo, having overheard, grinned at him. “Because you’ll say no, right?”

Tsukishima narrowed his eyes at Kuroo and said, after a few seconds had passed, without turning to Inuoka, “Okay. I’ll go.”

“YES!” Inuoka exclaimed, clenching his fists in victory.

Kuroo’s lips parted in surprise before they closed and he exclaimed, “This is betrayal, Tsukki! Conceit! Treachery! Treason!”

Tsukishima’s lips tilted up amusedly, a half-smile, half-smirk.

“How could you do this to me!” Kuroo exclaimed, clutching at his heart, bending over a little to feign pain.

“You’re being overdramatic.” Tsukishima said and reached a hand out to pat at Kuroo’s back.

Despite his former cries of deceit and betrayal, he grinned at Tsukki and the familiar, almost placating back-pats he was being given.

Tsukishima rolled his eyes. “Lunch?” He asked.

“Yep, I’ll be going guys, be back in around 40 minutes.”

“Sure thing! See you at the party, Tsukki!” Chirped Inuoka. He then made a weird noise as Kuroo shucked off his coat and threw it at him before pulling Tsukishima towards the store’s exit.

“It was nice meeting you!” Yachi called afterward, giggling.

Tsukishima raised a silent hand in a wave to them as he and Kuroo exited _BTS_.

“Sooo… Are you really gonna go to the party?” Kuroo asked after they were out.

Tsukishima shrugged, “I guess. I don’t mind.” He’d agreed to go to the party on a complete whim because he had felt a small inclination to at Kuroo’s exclamation that he’d say no. Maybe also because having Kuroo exclaim about deceit and betrayal was completely amusing.

“Our first outing as a _couple_.” Kuroo said, looking completely too self-satisfied.

Tsukishima rolled his eyes despite his lips tugging up.


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I missed last week! Did I tell you guys I was going on a camp????? I hope I did, but apologies if I didn't! I'm back now! My college had a camp for international and domestic students and yo I made so many friends :D  
> I hope all of you enjoy this and that you've been well!
> 
> Apologies if there are any mistakes in this chapter! I'll edit it later as I've got a friend coming over in literally 4 minutes!! xx

As was the same with his first date with Kuroo, Yamaguchi and Akiteru criticized what he’d decided to wear – which he had thought was perfectly fine to wear to a party, thank you – before they’d then ushered him into one of their rooms while scourging through their closets to pull out pieces of clothing that they thought would be more appropriate.

“It’s just a party.” Tsukishima said.

“Yeah, but when was the last time you even went to a party, Kei?” Akiteru said, tutting like their mom.

Tsukishima made a narrowed-eyed face at him.

“It’s a valid question!” Yamaguchi exclaimed, rolling over onto his stomach form his back on Akiteru’s bed, “One which I _know_ you don’t know the answer to, since it’s been _that long_.”

“Definitely not, right?” Akiteru cut in – on a completely other subject – looking to Yamaguchi for clarification as he held up a baggy varsity jacket.

Tsukishima blanched, “Definitely not,” he said before Yamaguchi could answer.

“It’s _fine_ ,” Yamaguchi answered while giving Tsukishima a pointed look, “but it would look awkward on Tsukki.”

 _Thank god for small mercies_ , Tsukishima thought as Akiteru placed it back into his closet.

“Wait, what’s that maroon jacket?” Yamaguchi suddenly asked.

Not _maroon_.

But alas, Tsukishima was dressed in what Akiteru and Yamaguchi had threatened him into wearing. Which was – unfortunately – the maroon jacket worn over a plain black shirt, accompanied by black skinny jeans and a pair of dark Chelsea boots which were caught in-between black, dark red and dark brown all at the same time, depending on how one looked at it.

Tsukishima looked at himself in the mirror and scowled, “I look,” he said slowly and then turned to give Akiteru and Yamaguchi a pointed look, “like an asshole.”

“No, you definitely look good!” Yamaguchi exclaimed.

Akiteru pulled his phone out as Tsukishima continued to scowl and then quickly snapped a photo.

“Did you just take a photo?” Tsukishima asked, taking a warning step towards his brother, brows dropping to a frown.

“I’m sending it to mom.” Akiteru replied, with a grin.

“Not mom,” Tsukishima could only say back weakly. He didn’t even have any time to try and snatch Akiteru’s phone away from him before he’d exclaimed, “Sent!”

Tsukishima could only let out a sigh just as there was a knock on the door.

There was a small paused moment in which Tsukishima met eyes with Akiteru and Yamaguchi.

“That’s Kuroo.” He said quickly, ignoring their raised brows and smug smiles. He then exited out of his brother’s room. He bit his lip and turned back to face them one more time, “Does it really look okay though? I don’t look like a dick?”

Yamaguchi huffed an amused sounding breath, “Really Tsukki, you look party-perfect.”

“Don’t get too drunk, little bro. Otherwise Kuroo will have to bat away too many loose hands.”

Tsukishima snorted and then shot them a momentary look of gratitude before he turned to go answer the door.

When he opened the door, Kuroo was already grinning.

“Hey there, _boyfriend_ ,” Kuroo said in greeting.

Tsukishima rolled his eyes, “Hey.”

Kuroo was dressed – surprise, surprise – as effortlessly stylishly as he usually was. He was wearing a brown suede western jacket, a black shirt underneath, blue jeans rolled twice at the ankle and white converse shoes.

“All good to go?” Kuroo asked.

Tsukishima nodded. He turned around to find Akiteru and Yamaguchi beaming too brightly at him from the apartment’s lounge area.

He raised a hand in a wave, “I’ll be back home later on tonight.”

“Have fun!” They called just as Tsukishima closed the door behind him.

“You look good,” Kuroo said as they walked down the corridor, “I like maroon on you.”

“Thanks. You look good in anything you wear.” Tsukishima replied, having meant that Kuroo could pull off any style of clothes and make it look good, but when he realised a split second later that there were strong connotations of what he had said to being like ‘ _You_ look good. _All the time_ ,’ he pressed his thumb into his fingers in his jacket’s pockets.

Kuroo, though, practically _preened_ at the compliment and had continued to preen all the way down the elevator to ground floor.

 

* * *

 

 

They parked the car on the side-street where a lot of other cars were parked. Tsukishima could hear the loud, pulsing music as a buzz in the near distance from where they stood, and shivered as he stepped out from the car as the cool air bit at him through his clothes.

“This is Inuoka’s place.” Kuroo said as he locked the door and then lead them forward.

Their steps sounded on the grass beneath their feet and as they walked onward, the music became louder and louder.

“I can’t imagine how loud it is inside.” Tsukishima commented.

Kuroo raised his lips at him, “Luckily you don’t have to imagine. Feeling regretful that you betrayed me for this?”

“Not yet.”

Kuroo snorted amusedly, “‘ _Yet’_ ”, he pointed out. “Anyway Tsukki, just stick close and don’t pick up drinks that aren’t yours or you aren’t sure are yours. Once you put a drink down and leave it – ”

“ – don’t pick it back up, I know.” Tsukishima finished for Kuroo. A spark of fondness began in his chest at the warnings his mom used to always tell to him before he ever went out – even if it was only to the movies and not to any parties. Always bring a jacket. Make sure your friends know where you are. Stick to the group. Call me when you’re heading home. Kuroo’s warnings were reminding him of that.

Kuroo smiled at him, “Good, good. Glad you know.” He turned to open Inuoka’s door but then stopped and turned back. “Don’t drink too much. Not only for your sake, but for mine. Your brother will get a bad impression of me if I let you get wasted.”

“So I should get wasted?” Tsukishima asked.

Kuroo narrowed his eyes in a playful way as a grin tugged on his lips, “Yeah, yeah, you smug loser.”

Tsukishima felt his own lips tug up a little as Kuroo gave the front door a loud knock before pushing it open.

The music, though it had already been loud from the other side of the closed door, became much louder – it was almost as if he were wearing headphones and blasting a song straight into his earbuds. Tsukishima didn’t think that there was one place of this large house that wasn’t filled with the playing music.

Or people. There were so many people lingering, dancing, flirting, sitting, leaning, talking. Tsukishima wondered who all these people were – if Inuoka knew all of them, _how_ did he know all of them? Tsukishima wasn’t even sure if he even knew enough people to host a party this big.

Glancing around hesitantly, Tsukishima closed the door after them.

Kuroo turned back to him and had to shout to be heard.

“Want to start off with a drink?”

Tsukishima had to pause to register the words as he couldn’t fully rely on hearing only, but then nodded his answer once he’d gotten the gist of what Kuroo had said.

Kuroo nodded back and then reached for Tsukishima’s hand.

His hand was large and warm, his skin shade more tan than his own. Their fingers intertwined and Tsukishima wanted to suddenly fiddle with his fingers. But he couldn’t. Because _his_ hand was in _Kuroo’s_. Like this, Kuroo lead him deeper into the house, occasionally squeezing past people and occasionally having to stop to let them pass through. He kept glancing back though, despite the fact that they were joined by their hands and would know first thing if he suddenly lost him.

Soon enough, they reached the kitchen area – the kitchen itself was marginally more empty but there were still those who were leaning on the countertops or standing around talking. The space was filled with bowls of snacks, red paper cups, large bowls of punch and alcohol.

“Cider?” Kuroo asked, squatting down beside the cooler where unopened bottles and cans were chilling in ice.

Tsukishima was about to nod but was then attacked by an arm flung around his neck. He jolted forward and then on instinct was able to balance himself again but he shot a sharp glare at whoever had their arm around him.

His glare lessened up a little when he found a complete stranger with chocolate eyes with hints of caramel, the guy’s hair stylishly curling from his head. Said guy was looking at him contemplatively with a critical look – his eyes even followed down to his feet and then back up.

“I mean,” the guy said, “I _guess_.” He said this to Kuroo, who’d stood from the cooler with two drinks in his hands.

Kuroo rolled his eyes, “Hands off, Oikawa.”

“Because you said that, I am going to pointedly keep my hands _on_ – ”

“Tooru, where are your arms?”

The arm jerked from Tsukishima’s neck.

“Iwa-chan! My arms were _to myself_.”

The guy who’d approached them was another stranger to Tsukishima who was a darker shade to Oikawa in every respect – darker hair, eyes and more tan skin.

He made a ‘Yeah sure, but I don’t want to deal with you right now’ sound at the back of his throat towards Oikawa and then turned to Tsukishima.

“Kuroo’s boyfriend?” He asked.

Tsukishima nodded, “Tsukishima,” he introduced himself.

“I’m Iwaizumi. This one’s my boyfriend – unfortunately.” He said and gave a hard slap to Oikawa on the back, who then exclaimed, “Mean!”

“Nice to meet you.” Tsukishima murmured.

“Tsukki,” Kuroo said and then handed him a pear cider. Tsukishima murmured his thanks as he took it. Kuroo had already opened the bottle with the bottle opener tool sitting on the kitchen counter when he had been talking to Iwaizumi. He took a sip. It wasn’t too alcoholic and he could taste the pear flavour – he liked it. Kuroo shot him a small fond look.

“Hey,” Iwaizumi said to Kuroo, pulling his attention from Tsukki, “I thought you said you weren’t coming tonight.”

Kuroo gave Tsukishima a look, “I wasn’t going to, but then Tsukishima made me.”

“I didn’t make you.” Tsukishima said.

“I struck a deal with Inuoka that if Tsukki was going then I’d go because I _thought_ that he’d say no but then _out of spite_ ,” he raised a brow at Tsukishima as if to say ‘Try denying that’, “he said yes. So I’m here.”

“You’re so sour about it.” Tsukishima said, inwardly amused.

Kuroo grinned at him and just as he was about to continue their banter, Oikawa blanched and mimed throwing up.

“God, newly-boyfriends are disgusting.” He said.

Iwaizumi slapped him on the back again – harder and with more intent.

“Ow.” Oikawa murmured while pouting before he grinned suddenly and said, “I love it when you hit me, Iwa-chan.”

Iwaizumi frowned at his boyfriend – his expression instantly narrowing intensely.

“And you said we were disgusting.” Kuroo threw back.

Oikawa looked ready to start a squabble but they were interrupted by a loud scream of “SHOTS!”

Tsukishima stood up straighter. He _knew_ that voice.

Just as he expected, a small barrelling human with bright orange hair came running into the kitchen, pulling a nagging Kageyama with him.

“Tsukishima!!” Hinata Shoyo yelled, “I didn’t know you partied!”

“I don’t.” Tsukishima said, eyes narrowing in on the midget – almost reflexively by now. He heard Kuroo snort, and somehow knew that what Kuroo was amused by was his facial reaction to Hinata.

“And Kuroo!” Hinata exclaimed when he saw him. “OH YEAH, you’re boyfriends now!!!”

“Chibi-chan, you’re always so loud.” Oikawa said.

Kageyama narrowed his eyes like he couldn’t help glaring at Oikawa as he said, “He’s already had a few shots.”

“And we’re going to do more, Kageyama!” Hinata exclaimed.

“You _know_ you can’t handle your alcohol. Stop doing shots.” Kageyama chastised him.

“Let’s all do shots!” Hinata exclaimed. He grabbed up a number of stacked shot glasses in the kitchen and lined them up.

“Because Inuoka’s my buddy, he tells me where his expensive alcohol is.” Hinata said, retrieving one of the kitchen chairs and clambering up it.

Kageyama’s hands, quick as lightning, held on to the stool, worry etching his face.

Tsukishima rolled his eyes at them. They weren’t even dating. Yet.

Hinata searched blindly with his hands atop the highest cupboard before exclaiming ‘A-ha!’ and then clambering back down with a full bottle of greenish blue alcohol.

It read _The Green Fairy_ , as well as Absinthe.

“Okay guys, we’re all doing double Absinthe shots.”

“Oh geez.” Iwaizumi murmured.

Oikawa grinned, “I think I’m starting to like you Chibi-chan.”

“Don’t encourage him.” Iwaizumi scolded.

“Really. Don’t.” Kageyama added as Hinata started pouring the shots.

“I’m down with shots.” Kuroo said, grinning like Oikawa.

Tsukishima didn’t know where he stood in this conversation. He’d never had Absinthe.

The whole time, Hinata had been naming people aloud in their small group as he’d poured double shots.

“Aaaaand, Tsukishima!”

“What, no.” Kuroo said – not Tsukishima himself.

Tsukishima frowned, “Why not?”

“Because it’s 60-70% alcoholic, Tsukki. Can you even hold your liquor?”

That sounded like a challenge.

“I can find out.”

Kuroo frowned – more worry than anything else.

“You’re doing shots so I will, too.” Tsukishima added.

“Shots are served!” Hinata exclaimed to them.

Tsukishima took his first one as some of the others did and downed it in a swallow. Of course, as soon as it’d passed through his throat, he scrunched up his face at the burn and horrible taste.

“Here,” Kuroo said straight after, “drink this.”

Tsukishima took his cider from Kuroo that he’d placed on the counter for the shot, and took a swig. The sweet pear flavour made everything better.

He met eyes with Kuroo for a split second and then went to grab his second shot.


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ITS BEEN EITHER 2 OR 3 WEEKS SINCE THE LAST UPDATE because Lady Luck has not been on my side. I got the flu during first week of college and then had to catch up with missed out work so it's taken really long to actually work on this D:
> 
> I offer apology in the form of a sour loser, Suguru Daisho. I guess his appearance would count as an ish-spoiler? But only because of his presence! Don't worry, there aren't any manga plot spoilers in this chapter! :)
> 
> [my tumblr](http://harehi.tumblr.com)

Kuroo was freaking _the fuck out_.

He saw Daichi and Sugawara talking quietly in a corner, fondly smiling at each other. He didn’t want to interrupt the mood, because if Sugawara knew that a tipsy – maybe drunk – Tsukishima-dino nerd-Kei was wondering by himself at a crowded party, then he’d demand to help search for him and push aside the perfect chance to _finally_ get together with Daichi. After literal decades of pining.

Kuroo pointedly turned away from them because Sugawara could sniff out help where it was needed like a bloodhound. He wandered around Inuoka’s house a for a few more moments, eyes tracing over the various people around him to try and find Tsukishima but couldn’t see any heads of blonde hair and black-rimmed glasses.

Luckily, he found Iwaizumi.

“Hey, have you seen Tsukki?” He asked.

Iwaizumi, who you could always trust to be at least a little sober (because of his eternal job of baby-sitting Oikawa), shook his head, “Not since the Absinthe shots.” He turned to his friends, “Have you guys seen Tsukishima, Kuroo’s boyfriend, the one with the blond hair and glasses?”

Kuroo recognised them as Hanamaki and Matsukawa, who he always saw in Oikawa’s stupid snapchats which consisted of the most random things as well as a constant supply of selfies.

“Err, can’t say that I have.” Hanamaki replied.

Matsukawa shook his head, “Me neither.”

Kuroo breathed out a small sigh, “If you do see him, could you just – hold onto him for me? He has an older brother who will probably kill me if he doesn’t stay safe and sound and not lost at a house party full of drunk college students.”

Iwaizumi nodded, lips tilting up to give him a look of understanding, “Sure thing. I’ll ask anyone I know if they’ve seen him, too.”

“Thanks.”

Kuroo exhaled a long breath before he set off to try other places inside the house that he’d overlooked. Around 10 minutes ago, when Kuroo had seen him last but had lost track of him when he’d been conversing with someone else, Tsukishima hadn’t even been that drunk. He had been tipsy – border-line drunk if anything.

Kuroo just hoped that Tsukishima was safe and not doing anything stupid. Like Hinata, who was currently standing on a table and spinning round and round, with Kageyama trying to get him to stop and ‘Get the fuck down Shoyo – it’s _dangerous_ ’. Kuroo really didn’t want to see how that’d end with all the alcohol coursing through Hinata’s system.

Turning away and opting to check the living room, Kuroo paused in his tracks.

There was a tall figure standing in one of the corners of Inuoka’s living room, wearing a maroon jacket. The person’s back was toward him but Kuroo _knew_ that was Tsukishima from the way he stood, his honeyed blond hair and his long legs.

With his eyes glued to him, Kuroo walked forward and through the crowded living room to get to where Tsukishima was. When he approached closer, he also found his arch-nemesis – one snake-like Suguru Daisho – right in front of Tsukishima, looking like he was hissing something at his boyfriend. Oh geez. Nonetheless, Kuroo narrowed his eyes in on him – Suguru was usually harmless, but he could be rude as hell.

He finally reached them and when he glanced at Tsukishima’s face, he noticed the flush to his cheeks and the light glaze on his eyes. He must have drunk more alcohol in the time that Kuroo couldn’t find him. God. Akiteru wouldn’t kill him for this, right?

Tsukishima, who had been attempting a sleepy, drunk glare at Suguru, glanced toward Kuroo before looking away and not acknowledging him. Then, a second later, his gaze snapped back and his face softened when he had slowly realised who had approached them. Kuroo, who had been about to reprimand Suguru for whatever he had been doing, softened at the look.

“You and your boy toy are ridiculous.” Suguru said to Kuroo, miming a gag. He was leaning against the wall in a comfortable way, nonplussed about the attempts Tsukishima had made to be intimidating while drunk.

“Boy _friend_.” Kuroo corrected before he ignored Surugu and instead paid his attention to Tsukishima.

“Headache?” He asked.

“Kinda.”

“How much more did you drink?”

Tsukishima held up three fingers in answer, “Just a li’l.”

Kuroo nodded before he turned to Suguru with a raised eyebrow, looking unimpressed, “And why were you with him?”

“ _He_ was with _me_!” Suguru said, “He called me a snake and then stood there, glaring.”

Kuroo felt his lips twitch up in amusement. He _had_ told Tsukishima about how Suguru and he had disliked each other since middle school and all of the stupid spats that they’d gotten into with one another which had all started during a Halloween party when Kuroo had dressed up as Harry Potter, Suguru had gone as Draco Malfoy and then they’d been unfortunately dared to make out. They’d disliked each other more with every meeting.

“He just stood there?” Kuroo asked, highly doubtful. Tsukishima was sassy and argumentative when he wanted to be.

Suguru exhaled a deep, long sigh, “He _did_ try to insult me with a pun.”

Kuroo couldn’t help but snort and grin, “God, what pun?”

“The best pun.” Tsukishima drawled.

Suguru dead-panned them both, “I’m not gonna fucking say it. Puns are awful, jesus.”

“Tsukki, what pun?” Kuroo asked.

“‘‘m going to _wreck_ -tilian you.’” Tsukishima answered.

Kuroo laughed and then patted Tsukishima on the back before reaching his hand down and intertwining their fingers, “Nice. Good work, Tsukki.”

Tsukishima’s lips curved up into a small smile, a little sleepy but undoubtedly self-satisfied at the praise.

Suguru mimed a gag, “This is so fucking disgusting.”

“ _This_ ,” Kuroo started and motioned to their joined hands, “is a happy, healthy relationship. Like your relationship with Mika.” Kuroo paused and then smirked smugly, “Oh wait,” he then said because he knew that Mika had broken up with Suguru just last week and that the snake was still sore about it.

Suguru narrowed his eyes and stood from the wall before exclaiming, “Shut up, dickhead,” and then storming away with big stomps, viciously parting the crowd of people in the living room.

“Now how about we get you home?” Kuroo asked, turning to Tsukishima.

“No – not home, Aki’ll kill me.”

“And me. That’s true.” Kuroo added, “Well then uh, head back to mine?”

Tsukishima cast him a look with a raised brow. Drunk, and still sassy. Of course.

Kuroo’s lips tilted crookedly before he rolled his eyes, “I don’t know if drunk Tsukki is more or less sassy than sober Tsukki.”

“Ex- _sass_ -tential crisis.” Tsukki randomly murmured.

“Are you just coming up with unrelated puns now?” Kuroo asked as he pulled Tsukishima by his hand through the house to leave.

As they neared the door, Kuroo found a whole group of his and Tsukishima’s friends sitting around and talking.

“Hey,” Kuroo said to Inuoka, “Tsukki and I are going to head off now. He drank too much too fast without knowing his limits.” He shot Tsukishima a fond look.

Inuoka drastically pouted at Kuroo and then laughed when he got a hit, “All good, man. I’ll see you at work, okay? And I’ll definitely be seeing you around more, Tsukki!” Inuoka exclaimed, grinning.

Tsukishima nodded, “Tha’s cool.”

They said their goodbyes to the others before they left the party and headed toward Kuroo’s apartment.

 

* * *

 

 

Tsukishima was still tipsy when they arrived at Kuroo’s apartment but he was definitely more sober.

“Kenma around?” He asked, turning to Kuroo as said boyfriend shucked off his jacket and draped it on to one of the kitchen counter stools.

“Not tonight.” Kuroo answered, “He tends to go to his parents’ house as an excuse whenever he doesn’t feel up for house parties since they’re too loud and crowded for him.”

Tsukishima nodded, “Understandable.” He said before he cleared his throat, “I need to text Aki, but I can crash on the couch.”

Kuroo then frowned and shook his head, “Not the couch,” he said sternly, eyeing it. If Tsukishima crashed on the couch, then either his legs would be scrunched up the whole night or his neck would cramp up awkwardly to become a total pain in the morning. “You can crash in my room. I have a double bed so we’ll fit.”

 _Oh_. Tsukishima blinked, his mind lethargic but quickly catching up with what Kuroo had just said. He was standing awkwardly in the living room, after having approached the couch with the intent to dump himself on it, but was instead turned away from it and – looking wide awake – was watching Kuroo.

“Just to sleep.” Kuroo suddenly interjected the small pause of silence on Tsukishima’s part. He was sheepishly rubbing at the back of his neck and because his jacket was off, Tsukishima could see the tattoo which was printed on Kuroo’s strong forearms. It was just an _arm_ with patterns on it, but it was somehow… Tantalising? God, he even sucked at thinking at the moment.

“Uh, yeah. That’s fine. Just sleeping.” Tsukishima said, nodding his head a little too quickly to be casual.

“Cool. You’ve never been in my room before, right? Uh, it’s this one.” Kuroo said, motioning to the door which Tsukishima had suspected might have been Kuroo’s room when he’d first been invited to the apartment. Kuroo opened the door and then glanced back at Tsukishima, expecting him to follow.

Tsukishima mentally prepared himself as much as he could by trying to sober up as fast as he could before he inhaled a breath and quickly exhaled it as he started towards Kuroo and his room.

When he stepped in, the first thing he saw was the double bed, covered in black quilts with two black pillows and a wooden headboard. Beside it to the left was an ash side-desk with three small drawers, with a lamp and an alarm clock on it. Further on was a darkly-coloured wooden desk with a mini backboard shelf filled with notebooks, human biology textbooks and a number of physiology ones, too. Tsukishima saw his copy of _The Tempest_ by William Shakespeare on Kuroo’s desk.

“ _The Tempest_ ’s a bitch, Tsukki. But the contextual notes at the bottom of the pages make everything better.” Kuroo said, having tracked Tsukishima’s gaze where it had paused on his copy of the play. It was nice, seeing something of his in Kuroo’s space. It further enforced the reality that they were legitimate boyfriends.

God, trying-to-sober-up-Tsukishima had weird, sappy thoughts.

Ignoring himself, Tsukishima nodded in reply to Kuroo’s words, “You’ll appreciate it more when you’ve finished it.” He said then continued to quickly look around.

On the left-side wall was a large window closed off by drawn dark curtains and as Tsukishima tentatively walked in, he found that Kuroo had a goddamned _walk-in_ closet because _of course_ , and when he turned, he also found that directly opposite the bed was a large-ass mirror spanning – practically – the whole of the wall hidden from view when you walked into the room.

Tsukishima turned to Kuroo suddenly. “Can I see your closet?”

For some odd reason, that question managed to break the awkwardness of Tsukishima being in Kuroo’s room for the first time because Kuroo snorted and then grinned, “Do you mean my pride and joy?”

Tsukishima felt his lips twitch up, “You probably shouldn’t count your pride on a closet.”

“But it’s a killer closet, if I do say so myself.” Kuroo said, as he motioned extravagantly to the opened door.

Tsukishima raised a brow at him as he walked past him to the closet.

He slowly wandered in. Geez. Everything was neatly organised. There were shirts and jackets separated by colour, shoes lined up on a low shelf, an array of different sidebags and backpacks – he even had those thin sliding drawers!

“I bet these have neckties or watches in them.” Tsukishima said, his hand gripping the small handle to pull the drawer open.

Kuroo was leaning against the entrance of the closet and he looked completely amused at Tsukishima’s words. “Go ahead and find out.”

Tsukishima did. He opened the drawer and breathed out a sudden laugh through his nose before snorting because in the drawer were both neckties _and_ watches.

“You’re not a business tycoon, Kuroo.” Tsukishima said jokingly as he shut the drawer and turned back to him. “This is so ridiculous, it’s great. Can I just crash in here for the night?”

“Yeah, yeah, make fun of it all you want.” Kuroo said, rolling his eyes fondly, “But just remember that you’re going to have to borrow some of this ‘business tycoon’’s sleepwear.” He said, pushing off from where he was leaning to rummage through a dresser in the closet.

“‘Sleepwear’,” Tsukishima mocked him, snickering.

Kuroo snorted again as he pulled out an oversized dark sweater and grey track pants just as Tsukishima approached to stand beside him.

“These good, Tsukki?” Kuroo asked, turning to him.

Tsukishima nodded and took them, “I’ll uh, go get changed in the bathroom,” he said after a moment’s pause, in which his eyes had lingered on Kuroo’s outstretched arm to trace the tattooed skin again.

Kuroo nodded stiffly and as soon as Tsukishima had left the closet, he exhaled a long breath.

 _Abstinance_ , he told himself sternly.

…

He really didn’t want to abstain though. But he’d never take advantage of someone who was drunk – or even tipsy. Then again, Tsukishima seemed to be sobering up really quickly...

Kuroo ran a hand through his hair and shook his head. _Let’s just not think about it_ , he said to himself. If he dwelled on it for too long, then it’d be stuck in his head.

 _Kudos to every couple out there_ , he thought. Relationships were so much trickier than flings.

Turning his attention back to the dresser, he pulled out a white shirt and black track pants before pulling his shirt off to get changed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another form of apology is next week's chapter. ;;;;;))))))))))))


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ITS BEEN A LONG TIME. FORGIVE. I've been sick THREE TIMES already in the last 6 weeks D:  
> Anyway, I've finally updated after 5ever and you can all thank my bud [Lincoln/cryghi](http://cryghi.tumblr.com/) for that because it's been forever since I've written anything even remotely smutty-ish and so he had to put up with my complaining and also read the majority of the ch before I finished it because I NEEDED ALL THE ENCOURAGEMENT since I got flustered over every word I wrote.  
> Plez don't judge, I've forgotten how to smut.
> 
> also: [my tumblr](http://harehi.tumblr.com)

Kuroo put his pyjama shirt on and dumped his other clothes in his closet before he went back out into his room, only to stare at the bed for a few seconds too long. _Jesus_ , he thought before he pointedly forced himself to look away from it. He grabbed his phone from his track pants pocket.

 

            **To: Kenma**

            tsukkis staying the night

            oh fuck wait no, not for like

            stuff

            but as in he drank at the party

            oh shit

            no he isn’t drunk drunk rn, im not gonna take advantage

            not that i thought about it

            fuck

 

            **From: Kenma**

            ………..

            Kuroo.

 

             **To: Kenma**

            shut up ken ok

            why do we always have to inform each other when someone stays over

 

             **From: Kenma**

            Because it’s life-scarring to see you _engaged_ with other people.

            If you warn me, I can at least stay away.

           

             **To: Kenma**

            nothings going to happen!

 

             **From: Kenma**

            I’m raising my eyebrow at you.

 

             **To: Kenma**

            ok fine i have no fucking idea whats going to happen

            i only wanted to alert you, not be harassed by u

 

             **From: Kenma**

            Have *fun*

 

            **To: Kenma**

            i h8 u

 

There was a small knock on his bedroom door and Kuroo quickly put his phone in his pocket just as Tsukki opened the door and came in. Dressed. In Kuroo’s clothes.

_I’m going to die_ , Kuroo thought to himself part-miserably and part-satisfied.

“Which side of the bed do you want?” Kuroo asked, awkwardly motioning to said bed.

“I don’t care.” Tsukishima answered, his eyes pointedly keeping to the ground and _oh man, he’s playing with his hands_ , Kuroo thought. That meant that Tsukishima was just as nervous as him. Almost as a reflex, Kuroo nearly lifted his hand to run through his hair but then physically stopped himself from doing so.

“Okay.” Kuroo said, “I’ll take right, you take left?” He asked. He usually slept in the middle of the bed and occasionally rolled to whichever side when he was sleeping by himself. He only picked the right side because he was standing closest to it.

Tsukishima nodded, “Yeah, okay.” He walked forward, the clothes he’d worn to the party in his arms. “Uh, where should I leave these?”

“Just put them on my desk chair.” Kuroo said, leaning over the bed to pull the quilt out from where it had been tucked under the pillows. He switched on his bedside lamp as he turned to Tsukishima, “Oh hey, could you just turn the room light off?”

Tsukishima nodded and did that before walking to the desk and putting the clothes on the chair. Kuroo glanced up at him – he was walking so stiff and awkwardly.

When Tsukishima turned back to him, Kuroo cleared his throat and forced himself to stop being so awkward as well. He got into the bed under the quilts and – despite the hammering of his heart in his chest – he raised an expectant brow at Tsukishima. A pun. Tsukishima always got a little more comfortable after puns were made.

He got one.

“Are you going to get in or are you going to stand there and _left_ me all alone?” He said, patting the left side of the bed.

Tsukishima breathed out a laugh and his shoulders, which had practically been pulled up taut to his ears, seemed to deflate down a little as he shook his head and made his way to the bed. As he was shuffling to get into the bed and under the sheets, he murmured, “That pun was a bit of a stretch.”

Kuroo’s lips tilted up at him, “Think so?”

“Yep.” Tsukishima answered, not completely settled with Kuroo’s quilts pulled up to his chin.

There was a small pause and then Kuroo snorted at nothing in particular.

“Not gonna lie, Tsukki, this is a little awkward.” But only because they were both so nervous.

“You’re not _supposed_ to point out when something is awkward. It makes it even more awkward.”

They weren’t even really looking at each other – Kuroo spared some glances here and there, but Tsukishima was purposely looking away. His cheeks were already flushed with a light pink at the whole situation.

“I’m not really tired right now,” Kuroo said before he paused and then said, “We should do something.” He was thinking about maybe watching a movie on his laptop, or even playing a card game or something.

But Tsukishima suddenly sharply turned his head to look at him, his face reddening.

Kuroo’s brows rose in question before he then realised the implications of what he’d just said, “Oh shit, fuck, no, not like – well, I mean, we _could_ – ”

“ _Kuroo_!” Tsukishima practically squawked and Kuroo had never heard him squawk so taken aback like that, that he could only laugh. After he’d finished laughing, he felt way more comfortable. Tsukishima though, had pulled the blankets up and over his nose just beneath where his glasses still were on his face.

“Okay you know what,” Kuroo started, having lost some of his nervousness from laughing, “this is stupid, we’re _boyfriends_.” He said before he scooted over toward Tsukishima and closed the spaced gap that had been between them.

“Why are you coming closer?” Tsukishima asked shakily and tried to turn away to wiggle more toward the edge of the bed.

“Because.” Kuroo answered, before he threw his arm over Tsukishima so that it draped across his waist. He felt and saw Tsukishima flinch violently at the action.

He waited a few moments but nothing changed. Tsukishima didn’t relax at all. “This was meant to make you more comfortable.” Kuroo murmured, sounding pouty but somehow amused.

“More comfortable.” Tsukishima repeated, sounding highly disbelieving.

“It was supposed to.” Kuroo replied, moving in closer until they were practically _spooning_.

Tsukishima was as frozen as a statue.

“You still have your glasses on.” Kuroo said and he leant up on his elbow. His other arm, which had been draped across Tsukishima, moved up to remove the glasses. Tsukishima, who was practically beneath him, had turned to him, eyes wide and looking like a deer caught in headlights.

Kuroo placed his glasses on the bedside table before turning back, arm still propped to hold him up. He raised a brow down at Tsukishima and when his gaze caught on to the light indentations made from his glasses, he reached a hand out before pinching the indentations with his thumb and forefinger.

Tsukishima looked even more baffled.

“You have glasses indentations,” Kuroo said before his lips curved up to one side into a smug kind of look, “like the right nerd you are.”

Tsukishima’s wide eyes instantly narrowed before he suddenly reached a hand up and swatted Kuroo’s own away from his face.

“Ow.” Kuroo remarked, grinning at him from how he was propped up on his elbow, his jaw resting along the palm of his hand.

Tsukishima’s eyes remained narrowed in on Kuroo, “Way to ruin the mood.”

“Ohoho,” Kuroo started as he shuffled in closer, “What mood?”

Tsukishima’s eyes narrowed _even more_ and he looked so cute without his glasses even though he was being grumpy.

“The _mood_ point in our relationship.” Tsukishima fired back, knowing very well that his retort via pun had been weak.

Kuroo snorted, “Was that meant to be a pun for _moot_ point?”

“No.” Tsukishima answered almost gruffly.

Kuroo grinned, “That’s cute.” Then, just as Tsukishima looked like he was about to sass him down, Kuroo leaned over and placed a small, quick peck on his lips, coming away with a small _chu_ sound.

Tsukishima’s lips parted and then closed and then parted and then closed again, words not quite making their way through.

That was endearing.

Kuroo’s eyes traced over Tsukishima’s lips – they were thin yet lush and his cupid’s bow curved down softly toward the outside corner of his mouth. They were such a cute pink colour, too – a little rosier towards the centre and then a paling pink towards the edges. They were soft, too – Kuroo knew they were.

He glanced up from Tsukishima’s lips and up to his amber eyes.

Tsukishima looked just as entranced as he was.

Slowly, Kuroo leaned forward to kiss him. He noted that as he got closer that Tsukishima’s neck craned up a little so that his lips could meet his own.

His heart was thudding violently in his chest as he closed his eyes and when their mouths did meet, Kuroo tentatively moved his lips against Tsukishima’s slowly. Even though _they were on his bed_ , he had to remind himself to start slowly because otherwise things would become completely unmanageable.

But then a hand was suddenly gripping softly at his bicep. Tsukishima loosed a large, shaky sigh when their lips parted for a split second and Kuroo only just stopped himself from smirking against Tsukishima’s lips because of course the dork had been holding his breath. It was like the first time they’d kissed and he hadn’t closed his eyes.

Unable to help himself because of how cute Tsukishima was being, Kuroo licked gently at his lips and revelled in the way that his grip tightened on his arm after the action. Kuroo reached his own hand up to cup Tsukishima’s jaw as he licked tentatively and tenderly into his mouth.

It was soon after that Tsukishima made a small muffled sound against Kuroo’s lips when their tongues touched. A slow burning of desire started to warm him up as he pressed down closer and deepened the kiss until Tsukishima’s other hand was at the back of Kuroo’s neck. His long fingers played with the base of his hair – steady motions and light tugs which earned him an appreciative hum from Kuroo.

Kuroo was kind of surprised that he wasn’t in a rush to try and start anything more. Sure, he wanted to do _everything_ but he was also really enjoying Tsukishima’s gentle ministrations and their slow kissing. He’d never been a huge fan of _slow_ , but Tsukishima was definitely starting to change his mind about it.

They kissed more, exploring one another’s mouths before Kuroo gave one last lick into Tsukishima’s and pulled back a little to look down at him. His cheeks were flushed a nice light pink and when he opened his eyes, they looked dilated and dazed. That only managed to boil Kuroo’s blood and turn him on even more.

“Doing okay?” Kuroo asked despite his own desires, his voice a little huskier than he thought it’d be, unable to help himself from tilting his head to place a soft kiss at Tsukishima’s neck. Tsukishima’s shoulders tensed up at the kiss and the hand that was in Kuroo’s hair was suddenly gripping the base of his neck but when Kuroo mouthed softly up his skin and to the underside of his jaw, the shoulders started to lose their tension. _I’m going to die_ , Kuroo thought to himself.

Tsukishima feebly nodded in answer.

“Good,” Kuroo replied absently as he lightly sucked his skin.

Tsukishima gave a small, sharp inhale of breath when he gently grazed his teeth against his neck before leaning back to look down at the hickey that had formed on the pale skin. It was only a small patch of light pink and purple but knowing that he’d made that mark on Tsukishima’s light skin was stupidly satisfying. He leaned forward because now he wanted to make another darker hickey on the porcelain canvas, but then the hand that had been on Kuroo’s bicep was suddenly slapped over his mouth.

Kuroo sputtered for a second, having not expected it at all but when he paused with Tsukishima’s hand still covering his mouth, he looked down at his boyfriend and raised a brow.

“No hickeys.” Tsukishima weakly said.

Kuroo leaned off his elbow and turned so that he could lay on his back beside Tsukishima and regain his wits. His arm felt a little stiff from having it positioned awkwardly to kiss Tsukishima, but as he stretched it out as he asked, “Because of work?”

“Because of _my brother_.” Tsukishima replied.

Kuroo laughed at that and at Tsukishima’s exasperated tone.

There was a small pause between them which wasn’t uncomfortable at all and Kuroo smiled quietly into the pause because he felt that they were becoming even closer.

“I can put hickeys on you in other places.” Kuroo said lowly and when Tsukishima turned his head to glance over at him, Kuroo raised his eyebrow in an exaggerated face of suggestion.

Tsukishima was blushing but he was also softly laughing as he replied, “Don’t even touch me,” and completely not meaning it at all. Then he stopped laughing and shifted uncomfortably, frowning a little, before he suddenly turned on his side to face Kuroo.

Both of Kuroo’s brows raised at the action as he turned toward Tsukki too so that they were facing each other.

Kuroo snorted, “What, are we going to confess secrets to each other like this? Should I turn the lamp off and bring a light under the quilts?”

Tsukishima rolled his eyes, “No, you loser,” he said before he inhaled a breath, his shoulders rising, and then added, “but I kind of do have a confession?”

Kuroo was surprised at the sudden change of atmosphere. He nodded and scooted a little closer to Tsukishima so that their faces were a forearm’s length apart, “Have at it, Tsukki.” He replied in an almost whisper.

Tsukishima made a face at him and then looked like he was about to jump off a cliff. “I’ve never really dated before.” He blurted.

Kuroo thought his confession would be more of a _confession_ , “That’s _fine_.” Kuroo said, smiling endearingly at him and frowning at the same time because what a cute dork, did he think that was lame or something? “I haven’t really dated since high school and even then I didn’t date much, so there’s nothing wrong with that.”

“No, but – ” Tsukishima started before he stopped. He looked like he didn’t want to say anything at all.

Kuroo was a little confused now but nonetheless, he reached out to take Tsukishima’s hand in his own under the quilts and refrained from saying something stupid in the moment – something like ‘Look at us. I feel like I’m 12 again.’

Instead, he said, “You can tell me. I swear to you that you won’t get any judgment from me at all.”

 

 

God, this was _embarrassingly lame_.

Tsukishima met Kuroo’s dark eyes, so trusting and accepting. But those dark eyes were sharp, and his hair was tousled in a way that was fucking cool despite it being messy as hell. Kuroo had tattoos and _swam to keep his shape_. He had a _walk-in closet_ and _muscles_.

How was Tsukishima supposed to tell someone like that, that he was a complete _virgin_?!

Tsukishima had never really cared about the fact that he’d never had sex before, but for a short while now, it had been a matter that had been circling his head in a taunt, ever since he and Kuroo had first kissed.

But he couldn’t just _not_ tell Kuroo, right? Because that’d be stupid. It would be totally stupid. A part of him totally didn’t want to tell Kuroo.

Breathing evenly, he looked Kuroo in the eyes and then said, “It’s…. It’s lame,” he started, “and don’t feel like you need to do anything for me, but I’ve, uh, never really done it?”

“Done what?” Kuroo asked, confused.

_Jesus_ , Tsukishima thought, face heating up. _Idiot idiot idiot_ , he chanted in his head, not knowing if he was calling himself or Kuroo the idiot.

“Sex?” Tsukishima said in a question, his voice just a little higher than usual because the nerves were taking over his vocal chords – of course they were.

“With… a guy?” Kuroo asked slowly.

Tsukishima cleared his throat and then answered, pointedly looking _away_ from Kuroo, “In general? Ever?”

There was a single second of complete silence before Kuroo whispered, sounding strangled, “ _Oh_.”

And Tsukishima had no idea what that ‘oh’ meant. Kuroo’s grip on his hand had tightened after the confession though but was then suddenly ripped from his. Tsukishima glanced up just in time to see Kuroo roll around on the bed, bringing his knees up and covering his face with his hands.

Tsukishima was so fucking baffled – especially when Kuroo let out an exasperated garbling sound while _still rolling_.

“What… What the fuck?” Tsukishima could only ask.

Kuroo suddenly stilled and lay on his back as he breathed out a long exhale. His face was lightly flushed and his eyes were wide, surprised and wondrous. “You can’t just… _drop that on me_.”

Tsukishima fiddled with his hands and Kuroo’s sharp eyes caught onto the action despite his reaction.

“Why are you fiddling with your hands?” He asked, moving back over to Tsukishima until they were closer than how they’d been before.

Kuroo took Tsukishima’s hands in his and looked into his eyes, all earnest and caring.

“I _know_ it’s lame,” Tsukishima started and would have continued if Kuroo hadn’t interrupted him with a –

“ _What!_ ” He looked slightly offended. “I don’t think it’s lame at all.”

“You’re just trying to placate me.”

“Tsukki, I swear, I’m not. Not having sex is fine, whatever, that’s cool – your decision.”

“Then what was with that reaction?”

Oh god. Because Tsukishima was feeling defensive, he was starting to get sassy. Kuroo could see it in the way that his brows started to furrow.

Kuroo felt his face heat up as he replied, “I was uh, actually kind of really happy?”

Tsukishima’s eyes narrowed even more. Oh shit. What had he said wrong?

“ _Because_ I’m a virgin?” Sassy Tsukishima was going to _town_.

Kuroo cuddled up closer to Tsukishima, who looked grumpy about the whole thing and who flinched in surprise as Kuroo’s arm circled his waist. Kuroo leaned forward and nuzzled his face against Tsukishima’s collar bone, “You know that’s not what I meant,” he murmured softly because he definitely didn’t want to start a fight over something like this. “I was happy because you told me, that you didn’t waste your first time, that you might actually entrust your first time to uh, me, I guess.” His hands tightened around Tsukishima’s waist because this whole thing was daunting as hell. His heart was beating so loudly in his chest he could hardly hear himself speak and didn’t really register what he’d said until the words had already floated past his lips. “Right?” He asked.

Tsukishima didn’t say anything for a while, still stiff until suddenly, a few moments later, Kuroo felt his body start to loosen up against his. “Yeah,” Tsukishima replied with a small exhale, “and I’m sorry I got annoyed for a little.” He seemed to cuddle up closer to Kuroo, but only with the most minimal of shifting movements that it was almost as if he hadn’t at all.

“It’s okay, Tsukki.” Kuroo said and placed a light kiss on his skin, “I didn’t really explain myself that well.” There were butterflies fluttering dazedly and wondrously in his stomach and his heart was skipping beats here and there. There seemed to be a warmth that was running through his veins and spreading to the tips of his fingers and the ends of his toes as he pulled him closer against his body so that they were pressed up against each other. “You shouldn’t ever feel like not having done it is lame. I’m glad you told me as well. If I ever do anything you don’t want, just tell me okay?” He looked into Tsukishima’s warm amber eyes and watched endearingly as his face started heating up.

Tsukishima nodded, glancing away.

_Jeez, he’s so cute,_ Kuroo thought as he shifted himself upward and leaned forward to capture his lips again. They were just as soft and pliant as they had been before and with a single swipe of his tongue, he was provided entrance into his mouth. Slowly like before, they explored each other’s mouths. Kuroo’s hand moved to Tsukishima’s hips and when his fingers slipped beneath the fabric of his sweater, he felt Tsukishima make a small surprised sound, which transitioned to a quiet sound of appreciation when Kuroo’s thumb started drawing slow circles at his hip.

Kuroo tilted his head a little differently and kissed deeper into Tsukishima’s mouth. They still kissed slow, but the endearing warmth from before had turned into a different kind of heat, almost as if a slow-burning fire was starting to run through him and build up in his lower abdomen. Kuroo groaned into Tsukishima’s mouth and used the hand at his hip to pull him closer. He sucked in a sharp breath as Tsukishima exhaled a small, shaky moan when their hips pressed against one another.

Kuroo leaned back a little and looked into Tsukishima’s eyes, which were wide and dazed but definitely looking nervous as hell.

“Is this okay?” Kuroo asked, his voice rasped and low. His grip tightened on Tsukishima’s hip as if to enunciate the ‘this’.

Tsukishima nodded, “It’s fine.” His voice was shaky but his hand reached up to Kuroo’s shoulder as confirmation of his words.

Kuroo observed him a second longer just in case, before he nodded to himself and leaned forward to capture Tsukishima’s lips again. This time, he gave a small, slow roll of his hips against Tsukishima’s. Tsukishima gasped into his mouth and his fingers were suddenly holding on to the back of Kuroo’s neck. Whenever he rolled his hips, small tingles of pleasure ran through him, but their positioning was awkward and they were constantly trying to shift against one another for better friction. Kuroo’s hands slid down to grip at Tsukishima’s hips, to help them move better against one another, guiding Tsukishima’s hips forward and against his own until he’d guided Tsukishima to be half-draped atop him.

Their kiss had become less soft and gentle and more deep and desperate with every roll of their hips. Tsukishima was gasping out small moans here and there when they pulled apart from kissing and even though Kuroo would be guiding his hips, at times they’d twitch and roll against his of their own volition. Kuroo pulled Tsukishima against him for more friction but his grip tightened and Tsukishima sucked in a sharp breath when their erections ground against each other. Kuroo wanted their tracks pants out of the way already. But he felt that that would be too much of a step forward so he opted instead to tug Tsukishima’s shirt up. His fingers grazed Tsukishima’s sides with the action and they were in too awkward a position for him to completely pull it off. But then Tsukishima was sitting up on his knees and shucking his shirt off by reaching his hands over his head and pulling it off from behind and Kuroo had never seen anything better in his entire life because he could see so much more of Tsukishima’s pale skin. His shoulders were broad and narrowed in to his waist, his nipples were peachy and perky, he was lithe but with slight tones of build and his collarbones were begging Kuroo to suck shots out of them. Kuroo was too busy admiring, his eyes drinking in the sight of Tsukishima, to realise that he was being urged to sit up too.

“Your shirt, too.” Tsukishima said, once he’d manhandled Kuroo into a sitting position before he started to tug it off.

_Oh_ , Kuroo thought. He scooted a little backward so that his back was pressed against the headboard of his bed before he removed his shirt and then mindlessly threw it to the side to accompany Tsukishima’s on the ground.

When he turned back to Tsukishima, he found him tracing his toned abdomen and the shape of his biceps with his darkened gaze but not making any move to reach forward.

“You can touch me.” Kuroo said, reaching forward and pulling Tsukishima toward him as he grabbed his hands and guided them to his tanned skin.

Tsukishima sucked in a sharp breath when his fingers landed on the skin of Kuroo’s abdomen. The guy had a stupid _six-pack_ that was firm to the touch. “Why do you even _like_ me,” Tsukishima breathed out in near-wonder, not really registering that his thoughts were freely flowing from his mouth.

Kuroo snorted, “That’s the stupidest thing anyone’s ever asked in history.” He gently tugged Tsukishima to sit on his thighs and even though he was still running his hands on Kuroo’s skin, he still managed a small frown and a raised brow.

“You’re kind of… perfect to me, Tsukki.” Kuroo said softly and he watched as Tsukishima’s eyes widened from his frown, how the both of his brows rose and how he just melted on the spot. Kuroo circled his arms around Tsukishima’s waist and pulled him closer so that they were pressed up against one another. Tsukishima’s skin was so warm against his.

“Want to do some of those other things, now?” Kuroo asked and laid a soft peck on Tsukishima’s lips.

Tsukishima nodded, “Um, what first?”

Kuroo kissed at his jaw, “I can give you a hand job?”

“Okay.” Tsukishima choked out.

Then Kuroo suddenly felt his heart spike in his chest. He hadn’t really realised just how nerve-wracking handling Tsukishima like this would be, because even though he’d had sex on multiple occasions with other guys, this was _Tsukishima_ , who was important to him and needed to be treated the way he deserved to be.

Kuroo was still pressing small slow kisses along Tsukishima’s skin when his hand snaked to the front of his track pants and underneath the waistband of them. He gently palmed Tsukishima’s dick through the fabric of his boxer shorts and felt the outline of his hard length. Tsukishima let out a shaky breath and leaned his forehead on to Kuroo’s shoulder as Kuroo’s hand continued to slowly palm him. His other hand was running along the skin of Tsukishima’s back and his side in slow caresses.

Kuroo placed a small kiss on Tsukishima’s neck and then let his fingers sneak past the waistband of his boxer briefs and underneath them. Tsukishima was tense in his arms, like a coiled up spring and when Kuroo’s palm made contact with the flesh of his dick, his whole body violently twitched. Kuroo placed another placating kiss on his skin as Tsukishima shifted in his lap. _I’m literally going to hell_ , he thought to himself as he pecked the side of Tsukishima’s head, whose face was still hidden in the crook of his neck.

 

 

Tsukishima didn’t want to make any noises at all. He found it mortifyingly embarrassing to let out any sounds. There were a number of small moans and shaky gasps being blocked exit past his throat. He’d never been given a hand-job before, had never really let anyone touch him like that and in that moment, with the pleasure bubbling up inside of him, he wondered why the fuck that was.

Of course, he didn’t think he would have been able to let just anyone do this to him. He was glad that Kuroo was the one doing it now, because Kuroo was being gentle and coaxing him slowly into it. He was stroking him so tenderly and lovingly that small sounds of pleasure started leaving past his lips, his hips starting to move forward in time with Kuroo’s strokes.

This was _mortifying_.

But the small kisses that Kuroo gave him in between strokes were comforting and _safe_. It made this whole new experience less daunting.

“Kuroo,” Tsukishima murmured almost desperately, his hands gripping onto him for dear life. He shifted a little forward in Kuroo’s lap a little and then paused when he felt something hard pressing softly against his inner thigh. That… That was definitely Kuroo. Who was hard.

_Fuck fuck fuck_ , Tsukishima chanted in his head. Was he… Should he be doing something for Kuroo, too?

He was about to ask but then Kuroo’s loose grip suddenly tightened a little more around his dick, causing a shiver of pleasure to run up his spine.

“It’s fine, Tsukki,” Kuroo murmured, “you don’t have to. Don’t do anything you don’t want to do or think you aren’t ready for.”

“But…”

“This is enough for me.”

Tsukishima moved his head from Kuroo’s shoulder and met his dark eyes, “But I want to do something back – for you.”

Kuroo observed him a second longer before he cleared his throat and nodded, a slight blush rising in his face, “A uh, handjob then?”

Tsukishima felt his nerves spike but he’d already resolved that he wanted to do this. His face practically steaming, he reached his hand in between them and unceremoniously shoved his hand into Kuroo’s pants. Kuroo flinched a little and Tsukishima stopped, “Did I fuck it up?” He asked in a whisper, trying to completely ignore that his hand was actually touching Kuroo’s cock.

Kuroo huffed a laugh and then shook his head, his face flushing, “‘t was just a little sudden.”

Tsukishima was mortified and completely embarrassed, “Sorry.”

“Tsukki, you don’t need to apologise. It’s fine, okay?” Kuroo said reassuringly, “You don’t need to say sorry about anything at all. I mean, you have your hand in my pants so whatever, I’m content as hell.”

Tsukishima’s lips curved up at that and he rolled his eyes softly, “That’s so stupid.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Kuroo replied and then leant forward to press a soft kiss to his lips before he leaned back. “Anyway,” he started and then gave Tsukishima’s dick a stroke.

Tsukishima sucked in a small and sudden breath at the action before he murmured his pleasure and then cautiously started doing the same for Kuroo. Kuroo’s cock was hard and warm – it felt weird to hold someone else’s other than his own but he was surprised at how much satisfaction he got when he gave the whole of the length a firm stroke and earned himself a nice, soft groan.

Even though he was sitting in Kuroo’s lap, his legs started feeling a little shaky – his whole body started feeling weak from all the tingles that were running through him and the whispers of ‘You’re doing good,’ and ‘Nn, feels good’ against his ear. He fell against Kuroo, his forehead resting on his shoulder as he moaned a little louder, the sound muffled against his shirt. Kuroo’s cock twitched in his hand at that.

A handjob was hardly anything new to Kuroo, but he’d never felt so warm and content from getting one in his entire life than in that moment with Tsukishima. He wanted to pleasure him in so many other ways, wanted to explore more of his body – but instead settled on running his other hand down Tsukishima’s back, his fingers grazing Tsukishima’s spine. Each knob he traced past was another small shiver and jolt from the blond boy until he placed his hand at Tsukishima’s lower back, right before the waistband of his track pants.

“K-Kuroo,” Tsukishima gasped out, writhing a little in Kuroo’s lap, his other hand gripping the back of his shirt, “I-I don’t know, I think – ” He cut himself off with a sharp, shaky intake of breath.

“Gonna cum?” Kuroo asked, stroking Tsukishima more gently. This only made him let out a slightly needy moan as his hips twitched forward a little.

Tsukishima nodded against Kuroo’s shoulder, “Yeah,” he breathed out and rather than an answer, it sounded more like an approval to keep going when Kuroo had sped his strokes up a little more after he had teasingly slowed them.

“I’m close, too.” Kuroo breathed back, feeling the inevitable pressure building up in his lower abdomen. Tsukishima’s strokes started to falter as his breath puffed more erratically against his shoulder and his hips started twitching up into Kuroo’s hand.

It wasn’t long before Tsukishima made a small, sudden whimpering sound and a small, gasp of ‘Kuroo’ before his body violently tensed and he came, fingers digging into Kuroo’s back. Kuroo soon followed with a few strokes more, cumming as his head gently fall back against the bedframe with a small _thud_ , groaning out, ‘Tsukki’.

Breathing hard, they both took a moment to just sit in each other’s arms, dazed and glaze-eyed. Tsukishima was so warm in Kuroo’s arms, his breath still trying to calm.

Soon, Kuroo pulled his sticky hand from Tsukishima’s pants and grabbed a tissue from his bedside table before wiping it. Even when he’d leant to the side to get the tissue, Tsukishima had still stuck to his shoulder.

“Here Tsukki, wipe your hand.” Kuroo said and waited until Tsukishima took the tissue and did so.

Kuroo took back the tissue and placed it in the small bin nearby like he’d done with the other and then leaned his head back against the bedframe.

“Was that okay?” Kuroo asked softly, the hand on Tsukishima’s back running small, soothing circles on the skin underneath his shirt.

Tsukishima nodded, “Yeah.” He replied.

Kuroo waited a few seconds more for Tsukishima to do anything else and then bit his lip before asking, “Are you going to look at me?” because he really wanted to see Tsukishima’s face and kiss him.

It took a few seconds but soon enough, Tsukishima leaned back and Kuroo could see his face again. His cheeks were high with colour from exertion and his amber eyes were still a little cloudy. He was so perfect. _Geez_.

Kuroo placed a soft kiss on Tsukishima’s lips, lingering and moving against his slowly before he pulled away.

“Sleep?” He suggested.

Tsukishima nodded, “I just. I’m going to go wash my hands.”

“Good idea, Tsukki.”

And afterwards, once their hands had been washed and they had both gotten underneath the quilts, Kuroo pulled Tsukki’s back against him and in his arms.

“That was okay?” Kuroo asked against the back of his neck.

There was a small shiver across Tsukishima’s skin and he nodded, “More than.”

Kuroo’s lips curved into a smile as he pressed a chaste kiss to Tsukishima’s skin, “Good,” he said, “and thank you for letting me, Tsukki.”

“That’s okay.”

“Good night.” Kuroo murmured softly, his eyes shutting.

“Night.” Tsukishima replied.

And then, with Kuroo’s arm circled around Tsukishima, they both soundly dozed off to sleep, warm and content.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> like, i know it wasn't even 100%, off the charts smut but i still got embarrassed and worried ok
> 
> I hope you enjoyed itttt! *sweats*


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. Stranger Things is fkn awesome - just watch it!!  
> 2\. The [Nathalie Tran version of Guess Who](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vMoIUEzC-A) is great!  
> 3\. Hopefully the next chapter will be up SOONER THAN HOW LONG THIS ONE TOOK D:
> 
> Also, if things go according to plan, I see a conclusion a few chapters up ahead for this fic!  
> (Maybe at around 30??? IDK)

Tsukishima blinked slowly awake, squinting at the bright trickles of sunlight seeping into the room from the curtains. He was all warm and toasty underneath the blankets thanks to Kuroo being a living furnace. Tsukishima couldn’t recall one moment in which Kuroo was cold to the touch. And he was still sound asleep, with his stupid, crazy hair shading his surprisingly thick lashes. Tsukishima’s eyes traced Kuroo’s face, content warmth blossoming in his chest, his heart fluttering.

Kuroo looked so peaceful and completely defenceless. He was breathing lightly, too. Tsukishima had expected him to snore loudly with drool dribbling from a corner of his mouth (like how he’d seen Bokuto sleeping one time on Kuroo’s apartment floor), but he looked surprisingly angelic. A corner of Tsukishima’s lips tugged up ever so slightly. Looking at Kuroo like this, he’d never expect him to be capable of smug smirks and that stupid (and really attractive) slit-eyed look thing that he did.

Tsukishima’s arm, which had managed to wrap itself around Kuroo during the night, started to move at the sudden impulse to brush away the hair that was shading Kuroo’s face but just as he started moving, Kuroo’s face twitched and he made a sound like he was waking up as he shifted. Then he stopped moving and seemed to be breathing like he’d been before.

Tsukishima was reaching up slowly, looking at Kuroo’s still face in something like wonder, before Kuroo made a throaty sound as his eyes squinted open.

Kuroo didn’t even see Tsukishima’s fingers. As soon as their eyes met, he paused a moment in which Tsukishima could see him realising the situation before he smiled sleepily as he throatily murmured, “‘morning.”

“Morning.” Tsukishima replied before Kuroo pulled him to squash him against his chest and collarbone. It was surprising, but Tsukishima didn’t have any qualms about how pressed up against one another they were.

“This is super nice.” Kuroo sighed, sounding wholly content. His voice was still scratchy and rough – Tsukishima would never tell him how much he liked his voice like that.

Tsukishima nodded and tried to cuddle up even more. His cheek, pressed against Kuroo’s chest, was so warm against his skin.

He didn’t want to move or get up but the sudden vibrating of his mobile on Kuroo’s side desk had other plans for him.

Before Tsukishima could complain, Kuroo turned back away from him for a moment to reach a long, well-muscled arm out from the dark sheets to grab the phone before he turned back with it in his hands.

“Thanks.” Tsukishima said.

Kuroo just cuddled up to him again, snuggling his cheek against Tsukishima’s soft, cushy hair.

Tsukishima made a face at the text messages he’d received.

           

            To: Tsukishima

            From: Akiteru

            Im gonna assume you’ll be home later

           

            To: Tsukishima

            From: Akiteru

            Its lunchtime

            Are u even awake

 

            To: Tsukishima

            From: Akiteru

            Is my lil angel no longer pure

            Yknow that sounded better in my head

            Sounds creepy through txt

            Tell kuroo hi

 

            To: Tsukishima

            From: Akiteru

            BRO, lol guess who called

            MOM DID

            U can imagine her response when I said you were at kuroos

            She is preparing for the grandchild

            Also sounded better in head

 

            To: Tsukishima

            From: Akiteru

            Just txt me when ur coming home

            Ill stop annoying u :D

 

“My brother,” Tsukishima stated, by way of complaining. He didn’t say anything else – didn’t even need to. Kuroo understood, from the way he snorted suddenly before pausing and then asking, “Oh wait shit, does he want you back home?”

“He doesn’t mind. But he will judge us no matter what, now.”

“What even is the time?”

“1:30ish.” Tsukishima replied, the ‘ish’ part sounding surprised. He hadn’t really expected it to be so late.

Kuroo made some tired, restless gurgling sounds before he sighed, “We should probably get some breakfast – or lunch, I guess.”

“Do I have to move?” Tsukishima wanted to stay warm.

“Because I’m the best boyfriend ever, you don’t need to. I’ll get you something from the café nearby.” He sat up and Tsukishima’s arms slipped from him. Though the blankets were still toasty, they were cooler with Kuroo’s absence. Kuroo didn’t see it, but Tsukishima felt his lips pucker the slightest before he made sure to stop pouting. Kuroo would definitely realise and then tease him.

Kuroo stood from the bed and stretched, his track pants riding low on his hips. Tsukishima watched him, his cheeks heating up before he smushed his face into the pillow to look away. Tsukishima could hear Kuroo walking around and probably grabbing something to wear out, but all he could think about – after he’d seen Kuroo’s bare, tanned back and his stupid muscles – was last night. It wasn’t _sex_ , but god, he’d probably made stupid sounds and so many mistakes.

But it was even stupider because despite all of that, he would totally not say no to doing more things?? Because Kuroo had been gentle and his hands had been warm and his lips had been soft and. Just. There were many other reasons.

“I’ll head off now, Tsukki.”

Tsukishima looked up from the pillow to find Kuroo leaning his knee on the bed before he moved forward.

Kuroo’s lips met his surprised ones in a gentle kiss before he moved back and pressed a peck onto his jaw. He stood up straight and grinned at Tsukishima, who was still looking up at him and blinking.

“Anything you want in particular?”

Tsukishima shook his head slowly.

“I’ll just get something, then. Call if you change your mind on something you want to eat, okay?”

Tsukishima nodded and watched as Kuroo left the room, clad in an easily-thrown on sweater, joggers and with his hair crazier than usual, before he fell face forward into the pillow again.

 

* * *

 

 

After they’d had their lunch of paninis, a halved chocolate croissant and coffee in bed while watching some of _Stranger Things_ , Tsukishima had to head back home.

Kuroo made a groaning, reluctant sound but eventually let Tsukishima go from their cuddling so that he could change back into his own clothes and wash his face. Despite Tsukishima saying that he could take the bus home, Kuroo had said that he ‘ _needed_ ’ to bring him home as a duty to his older brother. Tsukishima rolled his eyes and went with it.

It was around 3:30pm when they finally arrived at the apartment.

Kuroo, still in his joggers and sweater, ran a hand through his messy hair. Tsukishima had told him that Akiteru would be fine about him having stayed the night, but Kuroo was still nervous.

And so when Tsukishima unlocked the door and invited Kuroo in, he was not expecting Akiteru, who had been sitting on the couch, to turn around slowly with the sleaziest look possible, with a raised eye-brow, a stupid smirk and one of his eyes more closed than the other.

“Oh jeez.” Tsukishima heard Kuroo mutter behind him.

Akiteru’s face instantly cleared up when he saw Kuroo before he laughed, “Oh sorry, I didn’t think you’d be there to see that. But now that you _are_ here.” Then he redid the face and Tsukishima made a disgusted one.

“Anyway, kidlings, how was your _night_?” Akiteru asked, looking cheeky as hell.

Brave Tsukishima that he was, kept his face of disgust despite the reddening of his cheeks.

“And that is all the answer and info I need.” Akiteru said, pointing at Tsukishima. Then he grinned, in a way that denoted trouble as he said, “Also, mom wants you to call her later.”

Tsukishima winced and Kuroo raised a brow.

“She asked me where you were since she wanted to hear your voice and I couldn’t lie to mom.”

“Oh man,” Kuroo murmured, sounding choked.

“So I said you stayed with Kuroo.” Akiteru looked like he was lapping up all of their embarrassment and horrification.

“What an awesome first impression.” Tsukishima heard Kuroo murmur, sounding pained.

Akiteru laughed and then his stupidly smug grin turned back to a friendlier one, “Nah, really though, don’t worry about impressions with our mom. She thought you were cool ever since she saw your tattoos in that one photo of you, Tsukki and two of your other friends on _Facebook_.”

“The tattoos,” Kuroo then weakly sputtered.

In any other situation, Tsukishima would have been completely amused by Kuroo and how he was taking all of this in, but he couldn’t afford that luxury because of the dread he felt at having to call his mom and have her _mercilessly tease_ him. She was on another level compared to Akiteru.

“The only thing she’s disappointed about is that she hasn’t met you yet.” Akiteru said. “She said – and I quote – ‘There is only so much _Facebook_ profile stalking that one can do.’”

“She’s stalked my profile,” Kuroo whined, trying to mentally flit through said profile in his head. He groaned when his mind managed to remember a stupid photo that Akaashi had taken of him and Bokuto, both covered in sand so that only their heads could be seen. That itself would have been an okay photo, but what made him cringe at its remembrance is the fact that he and Bokuto had been so fucking hyped because they’d managed to get some guys such as Lev, Taketora and his friends Tanaka and Noya, to sculpt the sand atop their bodies as _female figures_ to make it look like they had boobs. If Tsukishima’s mum had run into _that_ , then he would jump off all the cliffs he could find.

“This is so embarrassing.” Tsukishima murmured.

Akiteru grinned and at the sight of it, Tsukishima groaned, grabbed Kuroo’s wrist and then pulled the both of them away to his room.

They hung out only for a while more, with Tsukishima recommending a few songs to Kuroo while he perused his book shelves again, before Kuroo stood and sighed that he should head off to make dinner.

Tsukishima nodded, feeling small pangs of reluctance at the idea. Kuroo stretched from his bed. Tsukishima bit his lip and before Kuroo could say that he would leave now, he shot forward and wrapped his arms around Kuroo in a hug.

Kuroo blinked, a little surprised, before he grinned and hugged him back.

“Bye.” Tsukishima murmured softly, his grip tightening.

“Seeya Tsukki.” Kuroo softly replied, rubbing Tsukishima’s back soothingly.

 

* * *

 

 

And then on Monday night, after Kuroo had picked him up from work to hang out at his apartment and after Tsukishima had beaten his ass in _Guess Who_ (the Nathalie Tran version, of course), they ended up lazing on the couch together.

Usually they’d sit close yet still apart but ever since they’d done _things_ , Tsukishima was definitely more comfortable with touching, and Kuroo seemed more assured that Tsukishima was, too. So Kuroo was laying across the couch with Tsukishima half-on, half-off of him. His cheek was resting near his shoulder, too.

They were both turned to the TV which was currently playing _Brooklyn 99_. Tsukishima liked it whenever something funny happened not only because it was amusing, but also because when Kuroo laughed, he could feel the rumbling and vibrations of his body under his. Also because Tsukishima liked the sound of Kuroo laughing – whether it be the sudden snort or even his stupid, loud guffawing. That was fine, too. Even though his guffawing was the most ridiculous thing.

Kuroo snorted, “LOL at Gina though – I fucking love how she’s studying space stuff, just out of nowhere.”

Tsukishima’s lips tilted up, “I didn’t think it’d be possible with her dance commitments.”

There was a small rumbling of laughter underneath Tsukishima – it made him snuggle in closer.

They lay in comfortable silence for a few moments before Kuroo suddenly sighed, “College is starting up again soon.” He sounded pouty. “We won’t have as much free time.”

“But now we can meet up on campus.”

“And make out in discreet corners of the library?” Kuroo asked jokingly. Tsukishima could hear hints of semi-hope. He lifted his head from Kuroo to make sure their eyes met as he raised his brow at him.

Kuroo’s lips tilted up, “Okay, fine, we won’t make out in discreet corners.”

“Why make out discreetly?” Tsukishima asked, comfortable enough to tease, before he put his head back down.

Kuroo grinned, breathing out a sudden laugh, “Are you _flirting_ with me, Tsukki?” He sounded so fucking delighted.

Tsukishima rolled his eyes.

 

The mood being comfortable, Kuroo decided that now would be a good time to talk about what he’d wanted to talk about ever since he’d heard that Tsukishima didn’t like Science at all.

He steeled himself and then tentatively asked, “So you’ll still be doing Arts and Science, right?”

Tsukishima nodded, “I’ll have 6-hour practicals on Tuesdays, too.” He sighed atop Kuroo, sounding dejected and annoyed at the fact.

“You’re talented enough in Arts to not do Science, Tsukki.” Kuroo said softly. He had to be so fucking soft about this because Tsukishima – depending – could get defensive about certain things. If he said the wrong thing, Tsukishima’s mind – so attuned to having to figure out meaning from having analysed so many texts for university – could construe so many negative things from his words. But he felt like he needed to talk to Tsukishima about this – to encourage him that he was good enough at Arts to not need a back-up that he hated. He could always try to find an Arts-based back-up.

He could feel Tsukishima start to shift atop him, probably getting a little uncomfortable.

“I can’t just… _drop_ my double degree.”

“You can.” Kuroo murmured, “You said it was your back-up, right?”

He could feel Tsukishima nod.

“You’re talented at Arts, Tsukki. You even analyse and write notes on the margins on books you read _for fun_. I’ve seen your grades, too – you always get high distinctions for your English assessments.”

“I do good at Sciences, too.”

“You do good enough to pass. I _know_ that if you really tried, you’d ace the whole Science degree. But you don’t like trying for Science because you don’t even like it.”

Tsukishima shifted a little away but didn’t move up to look at him. “Why do we have to talk about this?” He asked quietly.

“We don’t have to.” Kuroo replied hesitantly. Was he pushing it too far? “It’s just that Science gets really hardcore as you advance. _6 hour practicals_ , Tsukki. You could use that time to read or write essays if you didn’t have Sciences.”

Tsukishima didn’t reply.

Kuroo swallowed thickly. Shit shit shit. “Okay, I won’t say anything about it anymore, okay? I’m sorry I brought it up. You’re… You’re okay, right?” He glanced at Tsukishima – only able to see his head of soft blonde hair and a part of his glasses. He didn’t know what kind of face he had on at all.

But then Tsukishima was sitting up, frowning – he didn’t necessarily look angry or annoyed, but he didn’t look happy either.

“Tsukki?” Kuroo asked quietly.

“I’m going home.” Tsukishima said before he stood from the couch and picked his bag up from beside it.

Kuroo sat up, “You’re going?” He winced at the sound of his voice.

Tsukishima glanced up to meet Kuroo’s eyes once before looking away. He nodded, the hand on his bag strap tightening. “I need time to think.”

“Okay.” Kuroo replied. He shouldn’t have brought the topic up. Fuck.

They had an awkward parting at the apartment door, with Tsukishima seemingly distant and unresponsive and Kuroo too nervous to try and smooth everything out between them.

 

While Tsukishima was sitting on the bus on the way home from Kuroo’s, he started feeling like the biggest fucking asshole there was.

Because all of what Kuroo had said had been what the small voice inside his head he was so used to ignoring, always said. He knew Kuroo meant good by his words.

Tsukishima just hadn’t been ready to deal with them.

He’d been skirting around the problem and the possibility of dropping Science for a long time, but he’d never confronted it head-on.

His grip on his backpack tightened as he bit his lip and played with his fingers.

But to think that he’d actually _gotten into a fight with Kuroo_. God, how were they supposed to make up? There was an overwhelming amount of guilt riding his shoulders. Kuroo had just been trying to help.

He was an _idiot_.

When he got home to the apartment, Akiteru at first welcomed him with waggling eyebrows and suggestive faces at having hung out with Kuroo again but immediately stopped when Tsukishima didn’t respond to them.

“What’s wrong?” Akiteru asked.

“I don’t want to talk about it – just a stupid fight. What’s for dinner?”

Akiteru had eyed him a moment longer before sighing and then smiling softly, “Curry, but I’ll bring a plate to your room.”

 

Akiteru kept glancing towards Tsukishima’s room. The door was shut – as was the norm – but his little brother’s behaviour when he had come home had been distant and defensive. He was good at putting up walls.

There was a sudden vibration of his phone beside him.

He reached for it and his brows raised when he read the message he received.

 

            To: Akiteru

            From: Kuroo

            is uh, tsukki ok?

 

Big brother instincts kicked in.

 

            To: Kuroo  
            From: Akiteru

            Did u do something???

            He’s in his room

            Eating dinner

 

            To: Akiteru

            From: Kuroo

            i touched on a sensitive topic…

 

            To: Kuroo  
            From: Akiteru

            ??

 

            To: Akiteru

            From: Kuroo

            abt his double degree

            i didn’t tell him to drop science per se, but

            i just tried to encourage him with arts..

 

That made a whole lot more sense. There were many times when Tsukishima had come home from a practical looking drained and irritated before he relaxed with a book. Whenever Akiteru tried to talk to him about it, Tsukishima would always narrow his eyes at him, in that sibling look of, ‘We’re not talking about it.’

It would have been hard for Tsukishima to be able to do that with Kuroo. Especially since he and Akiteru were close enough to _really_ annoy the hell out of each other – rarely, but it did still happen – but were able to make up no matter what. With Kuroo, Tsukishima wouldn’t do anything to really rile up tension between them when they’d only just started dating.

That explained the walls he put up.

Akiteru breathed out a sigh. His big brother instincts were still intact but he knew Kuroo hadn’t done anything on purpose and hadn’t meant any harm. Plus, Kuroo was a cool guy and Tsukishima was a tricky person to figure out.

 

            To: Kuroo

            From: Akiteru

            Oh

            That makes sense now

            He doesn’t like it when I try to mention it either

            But you guys are cool?

 

            To: Akiteru

            From: Kuroo

            i hope we will be

            he’s ok right?

 

            To: Kuroo

            From: Akiteru

            He’s sulking in his room so you’ll be fine, trust me

            And yeah, he’s ok as can be

            Quick interlude: your first fiighhhtt~ I’m marking this in the calendar

           

 

            To: Akiteru

            From: Kuroo

            :( :( :(

           

            To: Kuroo

            From: Akiteru

            :) :) :)

            And don’t sweat it ok

            Just make up with him soon

            Otherwise he’ll amass all the negative thoughts he can

            And convince himself things

 

            To: Akiteru

            From: Kuroo

            thanks btw

            i’ll make up with him soon! :)

 

Akiteru smiled down at the messages. He was glad his little brother had a boyfriend like Kuroo.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> extra:
> 
> Akiteru looked at the messages happily for a few more moments before he suddenly screenshotted them and then, unashamedly, sent them to his mom.
> 
> To: Mom  
>  From: Akiteru  
>  TSUKKIS FIRST FIGHT, MOM
> 
> Her reply was almost immediate.
> 
> To: Akiteru  
>  From: Mom  
>  I wonder how Kuroo will make up with him!!!  
>  Maybe a flash dance mob????? I’ve seen many videos of them on the net!  
>  They’re so fun to watch
> 
> Akiteru laughed at the ridiculous idea.


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS IS UP SOONER THAN THE LAST ONE, YAS. But I'm sick yet again (and in the final week of college before exam revision week woooo D:) - making that a grrrraandd total of 4-5 times this semester which is insane??? I usually only get sick once like every 6 months or something?
> 
> Anywho, I hope all of are doing well!  
> Hope you enjoyyy xxx  
> This is a shorter chapter than the last but hopefully the next few chapters (approaching 'Over the moon's' ending) will be longer (since my exams will be over by then, too!).

Tsukishima had said that he’d needed time to 'cool down’, but two days was too much. He knew that. He hadn’t received any texts, calls or visits from Kuroo in the last two days and he was filled to the brim with worry, guilt and shame.

He couldn’t do anything for too long because it made him restless and sad. Even reading seemed impossible despite it being his go-to way of calming down.

All he wanted was Kuroo to text him something stupid or drop into the store with plans for lunch, dressed so stylishly since he’d just come from work. He missed cuddling, too. Which was dumb because he generally didn’t like people touching him, especially around his waist. But he missed Kuroo’s hands and his quick pecks and his stupid hair. And it had only been _two days_.

But he was still trying to read as a way of distracting himself. He was lazing on his bed, sprawled on his stomach and frowning at the lines of _The Girl with a Pearl Earring_ , trying to read it seamlessly but finding that he just couldn’t. It was the next book that he’d wanted to lend to Kuroo. But he had no idea if he should be the first to text. And should he act like nothing happened or apologise profusely? He just had _no goddamned idea_. He didn’t need to make a show of making up with Akiteru and Yamaguchi because 1. They didn’t get into many fights and 2. They’d just _know_ when things were fine between them. And even though Tsukishima had sneered at so many others or bit at them with his sarcasm, they didn’t need apologies either. But Kuroo was his _boyfriend_ , and Tsukishima _wanted_ to apologise. He just didn’t know how to fucking do it.

Giving up, he closed the book and placed it on the ground beside his bed before he just lay down, breathing.

He grabbed up his phone. Looked at it. Narrowed his eyes.

He should text Kuroo.

… Right?

But then he bit his lip.

What if Kuroo thought it was petty of him to get mad? What would he do if his text got ignored?

He didn’t want to be ignored. That would only make things worse.

…

No. Tsukishima put his phone away, having decided not to text him.

Instead, he grabbed up his headphones, placed them on his ears and played a stupid playlist he’d made titled, ‘Mood’, which was pretty much some mellow – and some sad – songs.

_Unsteady_ came on. Tsukishima groaned pathetically into his blankets. He fucking hated this playlist. It was so good, but he was really, super prone to crying right now (as much as he hated to acknowledge it) so listening to it was a bad decision. But he didn’t feel like listening to anything else.

So he lay there as the playlist started, feeling like a stupid idiot all over again, his eyes starting to heat up. He didn’t want to fucking _cry_ so he held it in.

He almost didn’t hear the knock on his bedroom door.

“Tsukki?” Akiteru called from the other side.

Tsukishima wiped his eyes just in case, relieved to find that they were dry and just a little hot, before taking off his headphones to place them around his neck. He silently cleared his throat before answering, “Yeah?”

His door opened slowly until he saw Akiteru.

Akiteru’s smile warmed when he saw Tsukishima before he cleared his throat and grinned, “You have a guest.”

Tsukishima’s brows raised. Yamaguchi? But why would Akiteru bring Yamaguchi into his room like this? Unless… Tsukishima felt suddenly nervous. Was it Kuroo?

Sure enough, Akiteru opened the door wider and stepped to the side to reveal Kuroo. He looked awkward as hell, with his hands behind his back and his shoulders a little slumped.

His eyes, which had been looking awkwardly at the ground, lifted to meet Tsukishima’s as he murmured out a soft, “Hey.”

He looked just as miserable as Tsukishima did, though his choice of clothes weren’t any proof of that (especially since he’d had work that day). He was dressed in black skinny jeans ripped at the knees, a black shirt and a brown bomber jacket. He had probably taken a fancy pair of boots off at the door, but he was wearing dorky cat socks. Tsukishima eyed them thinking, _what a dork_ , in the most affectionate way possible.

But he immediately averted his attention away from the stupid socks.

“Hi.” Tsukishima replied, more out of reflex than anything else.

Akiteru glanced between them before he patted a soft, condoling hand on Kuroo’s shoulder, “I’m about to head off to have lunch with Yamaguchi. Take your time, okay?” He shot them both a smile before turning to leave.

They didn’t speak until the front door had opened and then closed and Akiteru was gone.

Kuroo cleared his throat again. “Can I… Can I come in?” He was still standing at the entrance of the room, looking awkward as hell.

“Sure.”

And then Kuroo did. He walked in and when he turned slightly, Tsukishima’s eyes caught onto something purple behind his back. He squinted at the purple to find out whatever it was since he didn’t have his glasses on before his eyes widened, blinking.

“Did you bring… flowers?” Tsukishima asked.

Kuroo walked closer and then pulled out a small bunch of purple hyacinths from behind his back, wrapped straight from a florist. “Uh, yeah. I asked the florist which ones meant, ‘I’m an asshole’ and even though she told me that they didn’t have flowers with that specific meaning, she said that these ones would be perfect.”

Tsukishima accepted the flowers, a little dumbfounded.

_Flowers_.

“And what do these ones mean?” He asked thickly.

“They mean, uh, ‘I’m sorry’.”

Tsukishima glanced up from the delicate purple petals.

“And I _am_ sorry, Tsukki. I didn’t mean for it to feel like I was pushing you into doing something you didn’t particularly want to do at the time. I think I pushed it too far. And I’m sorry about that. I was an ass so can we please stop fighting?”

Tsukishima didn’t know how to respond. The flowers smelled lovely and Kuroo was here. Kuroo didn’t think he was a petty idiot. Relief washed over him. But _he_ was the one who needed to apologise – not Kuroo.

“Kuroo – ”

“And just in case you totally hate me,” Kuroo started, cutting in, “I um, I made apology brownies, too.” The other hand which had remained behind his back suddenly came to the front with a Tupperware container, wrapped with a purple ribbon tied on the top in a bow.

Tsukishima snorted softly at the bow. This was stupid. This was _stupid_.

But he took the container from Kuroo’s outstretched hand and just _looked_ at the delicate bouquet and the fudgy brownies he’d just been given before he glanced up at Kuroo who was pointedly looking at the ground. Tsukishima felt like even more of an ass for not saying sorry first when he’d been the one to become angry, but at the same time was so relieved and grateful for Kuroo being brave enough to approach him.

He moved the brownies and the flowers to his side-desk and when he turned back, Kuroo was looking at his moved gifts warily, not understanding what was happening.

Tsukishima patted the place where the gifts had just been on his bed, “You can sit down.”

Kuroo didn’t. “If you’re making me sit down to let me down easier then – ”

“I guess I’ll just stand up then.” Tsukishima murmured as he got up from the bed.

Without warning, he slipped his arms around Kuroo’s waist and leaned his forehead on his shoulder, turned inward to the crook his neck. “ _I’m_ sorry,” Tsukishima said, “You didn’t say anything wrong.”

Kuroo replied by wrapping his hands around him and letting out a relieved sigh as he turned his head to the side to place a light peck on Tsukishima’s hair.

“It’s just, I’ve never really _100% tried_ for anything,” Tsukishima continued, “and I guess – I guess a large part of that was because I was worried – _scared_ , would be a better word – that I’d fail or whatever. Which is why I kept doing Sciences because at least I’d have an excuse if Arts didn’t work out… I knew it all along but I didn’t want to accept it. And it kind of threw me off when you brought it up because I’d avoided confronting it for so long and you just brought it up like it was easy. I’m sorry I acted petty.” Tsukishima’s face was on fire. He hated feeling vulnerable and open to others, and he’d never felt more so in his entire life.

Kuroo started rubbing a soothing motion on his back and Tsukishima bit his lip at the heat in his eyes. _I will not cry_.

“It’s okay to be worried about that, Tsukki,” Kuroo started, “And you weren’t _petty_. I did bring it up pretty suddenly so – ”

“You shouldn’t have to justify my getting irritated as your fault.” Tsukishima said. “What you said was right. And I’ve finally, um, been looking into dropping Sciences.” Tsukishima said this quietly while burrowing his head further into Kuroo’s shoulder.

“Really?” Kuroo asked. He sounded happily surprised.

“But I’m still working out the kinks.” Tsukishima said, “And this might be a completely bad decision, but it’s probably the best decision – for me.” His fingers were clinging a little too hard onto the back of Kuroo’s bomber jacket.

“I’m so proud of you by the way,” Kuroo murmured, “and I know you’ll ace Arts.”

They hugged for a while longer before Kuroo broke the silence. “And on the complete off-hand that Arts doesn’t work out for you, I can always be your not-so-rich sugar boyfriend.”

Tsukishima snorted at the sudden joke but it spiked even more relief and warmth in his chest. Things were alright between them now.

He gave a small, relieved sigh into Kuroo before the peace was suddenly interrupted as Kuroo pulled away. He didn’t completely pull away but he smiled when their eyes met before he moved in to kiss him on the lips.

Tsukishima let out a soft sound of surprise before returning the kiss, further relaxing in Kuroo’s arms and letting his supple lips move against his slowly and steadily.

He was so relieved that they’d finally made up that he’d slipped on trying to not cry at all. He felt his eyes prick with the starting of tears and pulled back in surprise. He didn’t want Kuroo to see _tears_ , but his pulling back gave Kuroo a front-seat ticket to his glassy eyes.

His brows raised in surprise at the sight. Tsukishima made a groaning sound before planting his forehead onto Kuroo’s shoulder, pointedly hiding himself.

“You’re stupid. I’m stupid. This is stupid.” Tsukishima grumbled.

Kuroo laughed openly, the bastard.

“And you were being so articulate about your emotions before.” He sounded like he was mock-pouting.

Tsukishima would have reared back with a glare but his eyes still might have looked glassy.

“Not gonna glare at me?” Kuroo teased, knowing exactly that Tsukishima’s glare was a reaction to many things.

Tsukishima hit Kuroo lightly on the back, “Shut the fuck up.”

“Well this DnM’s over, huh?” Kuroo mused despite sounding amused and completely content.

Tsukishima could hear it in the way that he heard his grin, and knew it from the way that Kuroo’s arms encircled tighter around him.

“Wanna eat the brownies I made you?” Kuroo asked softly. “They’re good~” He added on, in a sing-song voice.

“Okay.” Tsukishima answered, rolling his eyes as his lips curved up into a smile.

Kuroo placed one last messy peck at the edge of his mouth before he went and sat down cross-legged on Tsukishima’s bed comfortably.

He joined Kuroo on the bed and reached over to grab the brownies.

When he undid the stupidly sweet ribbon and opened the Tupperware, the brownies smelt _so good_.

“Oh my god,” Tsukishima murmured when he looked down to find that on top of the _icing_ , there was _caramel corn_.

“Right?” Kuroo added, sounding smug.

And he’d been so insecure just minutes before.

“I’ve changed my mind. If arguing gets you to make these brownies, then I’ll never forgive you for anything you ever do. We’re still fighting. Go home. Make more.” Tsukishima said.

Kuroo laughed before cuddling him, resting his chin on Tsukishima’s shoulder from behind, “Just eat your brownies now or you’ll never get them again.”

Tsukishima gave him a sassy side-eye before being completely distracted by the gooey dessert. They were the _best_ (which may have been biased due to the caramel corn, but they _were_ apology brownies made by Kuroo… Which actually only made his opinion even more biased).

He and Kuroo ended up slowly eating the brownies while listening to soft strums of music and chatting amidst comfortable moments of silence in which they’d cuddle up closer.


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M FINALLY BACK. I'm so sorry for the humongous break I took without any notice! But I finally kicked my own ass into wrting and updating this! Life has just been super hectic since I plan to make 2017 my BITCH (hopefully).
> 
> Anyway, an update on this fanfic:  
> Next chapter will either be the second to last or last chapter!!!!!!! (It'll most likely be a long monster and I'm already working on it so I won't disappear on you guys again!!!) But fear not, because I've also planned some epilogue chapters (like 2 or 3, depending on how I go).
> 
> Enjoyyyyy ^w^  
> [my tumblr](http://harehi.tumblr.com)

“Why do I have to do it like this?” Tsukishima asked, raising a brow at Kuroo.

“Because this is a _moment_ , Tsukki.” Kuroo beamed from where he was on the couch beside him, sprawled out comfortably against the corner.

“Then why are Bokuto and Akaashi here, too?”

Tsukishima turned the brow onto the other couple, nestled on another one ot the couches in Kuroo’s apartment.

“A _moment_.” Bokuto copied, grinning at Kuroo,

Tsukishima rolled his eyes as the two best friends grinned at one another – ‘a mental fist-bump’, Kuroo once called it – and turned back to the laptop resting on his lap, opened to his college’s enrolment page. “I’m only dropping my double degree.”

“So now you act nonchalant about it?” Kuroo asked, teasing and sounding smug about it.

Tsukishima knew the comment was devoid of any real malice but he still shot Kuroo an unimpressed look – the look further soured when it only made Kuroo look even smugger.

Another eye roll and then Tsukishima had his cursor hovered over ‘Drop Degree’ for Science.

He paused.

He was really doing this.

God, this _was_ a moment.

“CHEM on Tsukki, just drop it already.” Kuroo said, grinning.

Bokuto perked up, his face lighting up before blurting out, “BIO know about you but I’m feeling 22.”

“Let’s get PHYSICS-al, PHYSICS-al, I wanna get PHYSICS-al – ”

“You idiots missed it. Science is dropped.” Tsukishima said, interrupting Kuroo quoting Olivia Newton-John. He closed his laptop, placed it on the coffee table and then stood up.

Kuroo’s mouth dropped open as Tsukishima walked to the kitchen, “You did it without me looking!”

Bokuto was laughing on the couch and Akaashi was smirking.

Tsukishima had just opened the cupboard to look for a snack but he paused and then turned to Kuroo, “A suitable PUN-ishment for the Olivia Newton-John, don’t you think?”

Kuroo snorted and stood from the couch to go to Tsukishima, “That was too mainstream a pun, it doesn’t count.”

“All puns count.”

Kuroo watched him pull out a container of caramel corn and watched as his eyes lit up when he unscrewed the lid from it. Cute.

“Yaku and Lev’s engagement party is coming up really quickly – what are you wearing to it?” Kuroo suddenly asked.

Tsukishima chomped on a kernel of popcorn and shrugged, “I’m not sure. Why?”

Kuroo’s lips tilted up, “Because we need to complement each other.”

Tsukishima’s face scrunched up a little, “Couple-y things, right?”

Kuroo nodded, secretly looking forward to having complementing clothes, “Yep, couple-y things. We should go shopping together.”

Tsukishima exaggerated his sigh and didn’t mean it at all, “I guess we should.”

Kuroo rolled his eyes and leaned over to peck him.

They were both interrupted by Bokuto’s loud hoot of, “GET SOME!”

 

* * *

 

 

“You are the worst person to go shopping with.” Tsukishima said afterward when they’d arrived back at Kuroo’s apartment from having gone shopping. They had gone to the mall that they both worked at and had walked around and visited multiple stores. Kuroo knew so many of the workers at all the different stores and even though he took moments to talk to these people, that didn’t, in Tsukishima’s opinion, make Kuroo the ‘worst person to go shopping with’. He flopped onto Kuroo’s bed, completely tired out from their spree. “You were completely unhelpful.” He said – the reason why (and also because Kuroo had urged him to buy everything he tried on because apparently, all of it had looked good).

Kuroo snorted as he placed their purchases on the floor, “And _you_ looked good in everything, Tsukki.”

Tsukishima rolled his eyes even as a blush rose to his face.

Kuroo shucked his dark orange cardigan off ( _how_ did he always manage to pull off bright colours like that?) before jumping onto the other side of his bed and onto his stomach.

They lay there quietly for a few moments before Kuroo pushed himself up a little so that he was resting on his elbows. Tsukishima looked to him from where he was on his back and raised a brow.

“So.” Kuroo said. He bit his lip and his mouth curved into a grin right before he _waggled his eyebrows_ , his eyes darting down to Tsukishima’s own lips. How subtle.

Tsukishima’s face flamed either way, even with the horrible put-on. “You are honestly the worst. I hate you.” He groaned, covering his face with his hands, not caring that he was going to have to wipe off the smudge of his fingerprints from his glasses later on. Since _that time_ , they hadn’t done anything remotely… _sexual_ – some kisses and cuddles here and there, but nothing more.

Kuroo was grinning down at him and Tsukishima peeked out from his fingers and made a warbled sound before turning away, heart quickening. There was a moment of pause where he tried to just breathe and not be embarrassed, but then a hand was at his waist and gently pulling him backwards before curling around his waist. Soft kisses were pressed at the junction in between his shoulder and his neck as he felt Kuroo shuffle closer behind him.

“The worst,” Tsukishima repeated faintly, turning his face into Kuroo’s bed, his glasses slipping onto the sheets.

Kuroo hummed against his skin, his hand sneaking under Tsukishima’s white shirt to caress his skin and hold onto his hip. Tsukishima sucked in a breath at the contact, his fingers lightly gripping onto Kuroo’s bed sheets.

“This is okay, isn’t it?” Kuroo asked. His voice was soft and soothing, trying to keep Tsukishima calm and feeling safe.

Tsukishima nodded quickly, feeling his ears burn as he murmured, “This is good – fine.” Kuroo was always so _gentle_.

“Good.” Kuroo murmured before his lips were on his skin again and his hand was moving up Tsukishima’s abdomen with gentle teases of his fingers. Tsukishima almost choked in surprise when Kuroo’s finger flicked over his nipple. He felt his arousal spike and pool in his gut when his fingers continued to play with the bud, tweaking it and softly pulling on it. Tsukishima was making these small, _pathetic_ mewling noises. A moan caught in the back of his throat.

Kuroo hummed against the curve of his neck, “Tsukki, you can be louder. I _really_ don’t mind – in fact, I’d _like_ you to be loud.”

Tsukishima slowly turned from the bed quilts and met Kuroo’s gaze. As he expected, Kuroo was looking smug. He _always_ managed to look smug whenever they kissed or touched. It was _stupid_ how he found it so endearing but he gave him an unimpressed look anyway.

“Don’t look at me like that, Tsukki. You’re enjoying yourself.” To prove his point, Kuroo’s hand slid from his nipple and to his jeans. Tsukishima sucked in a sharp breath as Kuroo expertly undid the button and then unzipped them. His fingers slipped into his jeans before palming his erection, stroking him slowly.

Tsukishima buried his face back into Kuroo’s quilts and moaned softly, his sounds hitching when Kuroo gave a slight twist to his wrist as he stroked. His whole face felt on fire – Tsukishima knew that there’d never be a time when this _didn’t_ make him embarrassed. Especially since Kuroo was always so sure and confident in what he was doing and managed to touch him like he was worth something. And Kuroo _always_ put Tsukishima’s own pleasure first – they went slow because he wasn’t ready for fast or for anything more than touching, he was always attentive to when he would tense up because he was uncomfortable and immediately stop doing what he had been doing to find something else to do. They were small actions but Tsukishima appreciated each and every one of them.

He _appreciated_ Kuroo. Couldn’t even imagine a reality in which they hadn’t somehow managed to become boyfriends. It was stupid – how _had_ they transitioned from where they’d started, to here? Tsukishima felt more comfortable with Kuroo than he did with a lot of other people – people he’d known for a longer time. It was almost scary how so in tune he felt with him.

But then Kuroo’s hand slipped from his jeans and the warmth of his fingers and strokes were gone. Tsukishima made a quiet, disgruntled sound. He didn’t appreciate Kuroo pulling away at all. Especially when he heard the jerk chuckle from behind him. But a soft, lingering kiss was pressed at the back of his neck before a quiet, “Hold on, I’m going to do something better,” was murmured.

Tsukishima was a little breathless – he always unconsciously held his breath when Kuroo touched him. Kuroo was manoeuvring him onto his back and Tsukishima glanced away when Kuroo shucked off his own shirt.

“You always glance away when I take my shirt off now, Tsukki. What happened to the Tsukki that _stared_ that time I wore that stupid ‘Ask me about my T-Rex shirt’?” He was teasing. His lips curved up to one side and his eyes glimmered with amusement. Tsukishima’s neck felt the burn of his blush as he narrowed his eyes.

“That was a stupid shirt.” He muttered.

Kuroo laughed and said, “You loved it,” before he was tugging Tsukishima’s jeans off.

Tsukishima made a surprised sound as Kuroo got them to his knees before proceeding to take them completely off. Once he had, he tossed them over his shoulder.

“This is embarrassing.” Tsukishima murmured in his grey boxer briefs.

“Trust me, you won’t even care about that soon.” Kuroo said, mischief plain on his face. His fingers slowly went to the waistband of Tsukishima’s boxer briefs and despite the mischief, he paused and looked into Tsukishima’s eyes, “Is this okay?”

Tsukishima bit his lip, having nearly grabbed at Kuroo’s wrists because of how completely vulnerable he suddenly felt. But Kuroo’s eyes were trusting and sure. He took a moment to steel himself because he _did_ want this and this _was_ okay – he was just _nervous as hell_. But he nodded once. Then Kuroo leaned over and pressed a kiss to his lips. He went to move away but then paused before he moved back in again. Their lips met and Tsukishima melted into it, making appreciative hums when Kuroo’s tongue met with his own. Another small peck and then Kuroo gently pulled back a few millimetres away. Their breaths intermingled, with Kuroo’s thumb circling at his hip.

Tsukishima pressed a peck onto Kuroo’s lips.

Kuroo smiled warmly before he murmured, voice a little husked, “I’m gonna give you a blow-job.”

Tsukishima’s eyes widened, his heart spiking hard. A _blow-job_.

Another peck was pressed to his lips. “You can tell me if you don’t want me to.” Kuroo said soothingly, “ _I_ want to give you one, but this is about _you_ , okay? So if you’re not up for it, tell me, and I won’t. Not just for this, but for everything else, okay, Tsukki?”

Tsukishima’s lips parted once, twice and then stayed shut. He was being so fucking cared for that he had no idea how to properly deal with it.

But he swallowed the nervous lump in his throat. “It’s okay,” he started, “you can… You can give me a… one.” He wanted to hit himself in the face for the short-circuiting of his brain. He sounded like an _idiot_.

Kuroo grinned at him. He kissed Tsukishima’s lips once more before he was moving back down, his fingertips slowly slipping underneath Tsukishima’s briefs’ waistband. He cautiously glanced up into Tsukishima’s eyes as he started gently pulling them down.

Tsukishima couldn’t look. He didn’t. He turned his head away and shut his eyes, his hands covering his face so that he couldn't see Kuroo at all. He felt like his whole face was on fire – well, even more on fire since it _had_ been on fire the whole time. He kind of _wanted to die_ when Kuroo finally slipped the briefs from around his ankle and past his foot before Tsukishima heard the fabric tossed onto the ground. Tsukishima’s heart sped up (not like it wasn’t already going faster than was humanly possible or anything anyway) as he tried to turn away to _hide_ , feeling even more vulnerable than he’d ever felt before.

Kuroo made an apprehending noise as he softly grabbed at his thigh to still him.

“This is _mortifying_.” Tsukishima whispered.

Kuroo breathed out, sounding amused and endeared at the same time. “You have nothing to be _mortified_ about, Tsukki.”

Then Kuroo didn’t say anything and there was a moment of complete pause. Tsukishima let it go on for a few seconds. The pause had gone on for a little too long and Tsukishima wondered if he’d somehow managed to screw something up. He hesitantly peeked out from behind his fingers made a sound that sounded like something dying because he felt like he _was_ dying, but of embarrassment. Because Kuroo was _looking_.

“Stop.” He whined out.

“Why shouldn’t I look?” Kuroo asked, his voice sounding hoarse. He leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Tsukishima’s shoulder, slowly moving down and leaving kisses at Tsukishima’s nipple, his abdomen, his belly button. With each kiss, Tsukishima gave a small breath of surprise. He was still peeking out in between his fingers and his breath hitched when Kuroo’s eyes flicked up when he reached the head of his dick resting on his stomach.

Tsukishima had no idea what to do but when Kuroo leaned forward and pressed a kiss to the tip, one of his arms shot out to grasp at Kuroo’s shoulder, his thighs tensing.

Kuroo leaned back and this time, his eyes were questioning. _Is this okay?_

Tsukishima took a small moment to breathe before he gave a small nod.

Kuroo gave him a comforting smile and then he was softly mouthing at the head of Tsukishima’s dick, his strong hands firm yet gentle at his hips – comforting, supporting.

Tsukishima tried to breathe evenly but he couldn’t.

When Kuroo _licked_ him there, Tsukishima made a small sound of surprise, his other hand reaching down to grasp at Kuroo’s other shoulder. Kuroo looked up at him momentarily, checking to see that he was doing okay, before moving back to mouth at the head.

Tsukishima gave a small groan of pleasure, his breath starting to become ragged and sparse and his chest rising and falling more harshly.

 

* * *

 

 

Kuroo’s heart was beating out of his fucking chest. Tsukishima was so cute and _gorgeous_. He wanted to make him feel good because he deserved it. Especially when Tsukishima’s hands were gripping at his shoulders, tightening whenever he did anything.

With that in mind, he licked a stripe up Tsukishima’s cock. He felt his own arousal spike when he heard Tsukishima gave a small and almost defeated sounding moan and when his fingers dug into his shoulders.

“Kuroo,” Tsukishima breathed and then one of his hands was moving from his shoulder and across his skin to hold at the back of his neck. His fingers brushed his hair at the base of his head, his thumb reaching up to cup his jaw. Kuroo could only look up. Tsukishima’s face was flushed, completely red. But whereas before Kuroo had only seen endearing embarrassment printed plainly onto his face, he could see that Tsukishima was enjoying what he was doing, his brows tilted upward, looking like he wanted more.

Kuroo shuddered a little and tried to steady himself and his racing heart.

Encouraged by Tsukishima’s touch at his jaw, one of his hands left his hip. He gave Tsukishima’s length a few strokes before licking up another stripe. Kuroo looked up at Tsukishima one last time before he pushed aside his own nervousness so that he could take him into his mouth.

Tsukishima made a noise of surprise that turned into a moan as he arched up a little. His grip dug hard into Kuroo’s shoulder and he tightened his hold on the back of his neck. Kuroo made a noise of approval when he heard Tsukishima’s soft and still slightly hesitant sounds as he took him to the back of his throat.

Tsukishima started making these mewling kinds of noises – like he was still trying to withhold himself from being too loud.

Kuroo pulled back until his lips were resting at the tip of Tsukishima’s dick. “You don’t have to try and hold back your sounds.” He murmured before he bobbed back down, twisting as he did so.

Tsukishima gasped and he may have subconsciously listened to Kuroo’s words without really paying attention to them because he moaned louder than before – not by much, but the sound was clearer and Kuroo relished in it. Tsukishima continued moaning and making cute sounds as Kuroo slowly and steadily bobbed his head up and down.

Kuroo rolled his hips against his bed, making hums of pleasure around Tsukishima’s cock as he continued blowing him. It got even better when Tsukishima’s hands were running through his hair and messing it up even more.

Kuroo took a gasp of breath after pulling back from deepthroating him and asked, in between his laboured breathing, “Good?”

“Great,” Tsukishima gasped back after a moment of trying to catch his breath before gently urging Kuroo back and murmuring a quiet, “More.”

Kuroo grinned at that and did what Tsukishima wanted him to. He bobbed his head in earnest, stroking Tsukishima at the base and all the while slowly rolling his hips against his sheets.

“Kuroo,” Tsukishima groaned out – he sounded desperate and close to cumming.

Kuroo took Tsukishima to the back of his throat again and swallowed around the tip. That brought out a choked moan from Tsukishima just as Kuroo tasted the salt of his pre-cum.

“Fuck,” Tsukishima groaned, eyes closed. His eyes had been closed for practically the whole time but suddenly they were opened and he was glancing down, feeling his pleasure building dangerously in his lower stomach.

Kuroo met his eyes, lips still locked around his cock.

Tsukishima’s lips were parted and he was breathing harshly. “I’m close,” he murmured, stroking his hand through Kuroo’s hair.

Kuroo pulled off and ran his tongue up Tsukishima’s length, “Yeah?”

Tsukishima nodded quickly. Kuroo’s lips curved up to one side, completely adoring of him as he murmured back, “Good.” Then he slid his lips over Tsukishima’s cock again, sucking in earnest.

It didn’t take long after that.

Tsukishima’s sounds built up, more erratic and louder, with one of his hands going back down to grip at Kuroo’s shoulder. The sounds were a blur of Kuroo’s name, noises of pleasure and harsh breaths. Soon enough, Kuroo felt Tsukishima’s dick twitch in his mouth and looked up to find Tsukishima’s back arch a little off of the bed. He moaned loudly and murmured Kuroo’s name over and over, lips parting in pleasure just as cum hit the back of Kuroo’s throat.

Afterwards, Tsukishima’s back sunk back onto the bed and his chest rose as he basked in his post-orgasmic bliss, his eyes closed and a light sheet of sweat glimmering over his body, his shirt rolled up to above his chest. Kuroo thought he was so beautiful.

He pulled away from Tsukishima’s dick, with his cum still in his mouth. He stood from the bed and got rid of it in the bathroom before walking back.

Tsukishima was still breathing his way through it and Kuroo grinned at that. He got back onto the bed and placed a peck on Tsukishima’s cheek.

Tsukishima blinked his eyes open and Kuroo found them a little glazed over from his orgasm. Tsukishima’s cheeks were flushed from the exertion but he bit his lip when he found Kuroo’s eyes. “I can give you one, too,” he said. And Kuroo knew he could. But he saw Tsukishima’s nerves spike in the way that he suddenly swallowed and from the look in his eyes.

“Remember what I said about being ready?” Kuroo asked.

Tsukishima nodded.

“That still stands. I’m fine.”

Tsukishima bit his lip again before he sat up. His hand reached for the buttons of Kuroo’s jeans. “A hand-job then?”

Kuroo huffed in amusement, “Yeah, okay.” He replied as Tsukishima undid the buttons and zipper of his jeans before he slipped his warm hand in and past the waistband of Kuroo’s briefs.

 

* * *

 

They napped afterwards and woke up at around 9pm.

Tsukishima slowly awoke to Kuroo’s quilts up to his chin. There was a warm, heavy arm wrapped around his middle and the furnace of human warmth that was Kuroo fitted behind him. Tsukishima made a sleepy noise as he turned around so that his face was pressed against Kuroo’s warm skin.

Kuroo rumbled out a sleepy, half-conscious sound and nuzzled into Tsukishima’s head of hair, “What’s the time?” He asked, though the words were slurred, husky and almost unintelligible.

Tsukishima blindly reached a hand out behind him and felt along the bedside table before he found his phone.

“It’s 9.” He replied, his voice sounding a little husky form sleep as he found new text messages.

They were – of course – from Akiteru.

Tsukishima grumbled and rubbed at his eyes, “I should head home soon.”

Kuroo pulled him in close so that his phone got smushed in between them, “No~,” he murmured sleepily.

Tsukishima snorted, blinking to try and wake himself up sooner as he let Kuroo hold onto him for a few minutes. When his vision was finally cleared and he felt more awake, he shuffled out of the bed, “I’ll text you later, okay?” He snorted when Kuroo made half-hearted sounds of displeasure but stopped when Tsukishima gave him more of his quilt to hold onto instead. Tsukishima’s lips curved up softly, completely endeared. He watched over Kuroo for a few seconds longer. His hair was stark and sharp and his arm of tattoos was holding onto the blankets over the sheets. Everything about him was cool – and he was a total softie on the inside. Feeling like he’d been staring for too long, he huffed a small sigh at having to leave.

He got himself properly dressed and gathered his things. Before he left, he walked over to Kuroo again.

Tsukishima leaned in and then left a soft, lingering kiss on his forehead. “I’m going now,” he said softly.

Kuroo shifted under the quilts. His eyes opened a crack – just small slits – as he made a noise in the back of his throat and shut them again right before he murmured, “Stay safe. Love you.” Then he turned his face into his pillows and tucked himself completely under his sheets. His steady breathing filled the room. He was asleep.

Tsukishima, on the other hand, was frozen where he stood.

He’d heard that right… Right?

He blinked, completely flustered, his heart beating up a goddamn fucking storm.

_Love_ _you_.

He was in full panic mode for some reason but when he glanced back down at Kuroo and only saw his stupidly messy hair sticking up everywhere, a strong wave of endearment washed over him and took him under. His face was still in flames and his heart was going a mile a minute but he leaned over again anyway and pressed another kiss against Kuroo’s stupid hair and whispered, “Yeah.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [my tumblr](http://harehi.tumblr.com)
> 
> (writing hack: alcohol helps with writing smutty scenes)


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THE LAST CHAPTER.  
> Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy! xxxxx ♡
> 
> ([my tumblr](http://harehi.tumblr.com))

“You look _fine_ , Tsukki.” Yamaguchi said with a roll of his eyes.

Tsukishima shot his best friend a glare. “I’m not used to this.”

‘This’ was him dressed formally in a crisp white shirt, a blue tie around his neck and sleek dress shoes. He looked at himself in the mirror and grimaced a little, “I look like a douchebag, don’t I?”

Akiteru came in rolling his eyes and having heard him, “You always think you look like a douchebag whenever you wear something _actually_ nice.”

Tsukishima rolled his eyes right back at him before looking at himself once more in the mirror. There was nothing he could do to change his outfit – Kuroo had given this one his ‘The Best’ stamp of approval when they’d gone shopping together – plus, there were elements of what he was wearing that matched what Kuroo was wearing. He glanced a look at the clock. Kuroo would be at the apartment any second to pick him up.

As he fiddled once more with his tie, there was a knock.

“Your lover boy is here,” Akiteru said from where he was leaning on Tsukishima’s door-frame, his brows waggling, his mouth set in a wide grin.

Yamaguchi laughed as Tsukishima gave them the middle finger and walked from his room to leave with Kuroo.

When he opened the door, Kuroo looked as good as usual. Rather than a blazer, he had opted for a vest. And of course, in complete Kuroo fashion, the the vest and dress pants were a sleek blue – the exact blue of Tsukishima’s tie. They were matching, just as Kuroo had planned.

Kuroo grinned at him in greeting, “Hey, looking good, I wonder who picked out that whole ensemble.”

Tsukishima raised a brow at him before breathing out in amusement as he went to step out the door with a, “I’m going, bye!” to Akiteru and Yamaguchi.

“Got everything?” Kuroo asked as Akiteru and Yamaguchi called their goodbyes back.

Tsukishima nodded. He had his phone and his wallet and was good to go.

“Anyway, hey.” Kuroo said as he leaned over and pecked him on the lips when the door was closed and locked up. He pulled away, “Ready to get your engagement party on?”

 

* * *

 

 

Lev and Yaku’s engagement party was held in a large hall – rather than have separate events for family and friends, the couple had decided to have a single event and invite everyone. There were round tables with cutlery and folded napkins on them spread out around the edges of the room and a space in the middle for what could only be dancing. The room was decorated with a range of different things: there were paper flower pompoms here and there, some balloons, lace decorations – but what caught Tsukishima’s attention (and everyone else’s) was the huge banner of golden letters that said, ‘HE PUT A RING ON IT’.

Tsukishima’s lips curved up at it and Kuroo laughed beside him when they found that Lev was standing directly beneath it, talking to people and looking proud as hell as he pointed it out to any and all of the guests that approached him.

Kuroo shook his head in amusement and placed their gift to them on the table (in true Kuroo fashion, they’d gotten them a fucking red _panini grill_ ; Tsukishima had made a face when Kuroo had told him his plan to get it but Kuroo had assured him that Lev and Yaku would love it – but mostly Lev) before he took Tsukishima’s hand and lead them over.

“Kuroo!” Lev called out in greeting when he saw them approaching. He clapped Kuroo hard on the back, “Glad you could make it!” Then his sharp emerald eyes turned to Tsukishima and he gave Kuroo a sleazy look, “And you brought your blondie with you.”

Tsukishima was about to completely ignore their stupid interactions of sleazy looks and instead just reach a hand out to shake Lev’s before Lev was suddenly kicked behind the knee and his legs gave way. Luckily, he caught himself from falling. He did, however, exclaim out a whiny, “Yaku! You can’t do that at our _engagement_.” without having to even see who the perpetrator was.

But just as Lev had guessed it, a stern looking Yaku showed up from behind him. “I can do what I like at _our_ engagement party. Stop being sleazy,” he reprimanded him before he turned to them. His expression was replaced with one that was happy and welcoming, “Thanks for coming, Kuroo – you too, Tsukishima. It means a lot.”

“We’re happy to be here.” Kuroo said, grinning down at his long-time friend.

“And happy for the both of you.” Tsukishima said, wanting to give his own congratulations.

“Why’d you have to do that,” Lev grumbled without any real embarrassment or venom. Rather, he looked completely elated despite having nearly fallen.

Yaku rolled his eyes and looked like he was about to reply but then something in the distance caught his attention, “Oh, my auntie’s here, we need to go greet them.” He took Lev’s hand in his own before turning to Tsukishima and Kuroo, “Make yourselves comfortable – a number of our college friends are already here and we have some finger foods around. We have to go greet relatives – we’ll chat later on.” Then they were hurrying over to the entrance of the hall.

“They’re busy.” Tsukishima commented.

Kuroo nodded, “Oh but hey, I see our friends over there – wanna head over?”

Tsukishima turned to where Kuroo nodded to and his expression soured when, amongst the group, he found a head of bright orange.

Kuroo laughed and took his hand before pulling him over, “Hinata isn’t _bad_ ,” he said, knowing full-well the reason for Tsukishima’s expression despite the fact that there were multiple of their friends already standing together.

The only reply he got was Tsukishima’s face souring even more, “He’s a menace – he’s like a spring and that itself is so stupid. He never stops jumping around. He’s _everywhere_.”

Kuroo rolled his eyes and stifled a laugh when Hinata literally jumped up as soon as he saw them, grinning with his eyes sparkling and happy.

“Tsukishima! Kuroo! You came!!!” Hinata exclaimed, “And look! Suga and Daichi are here too!”

“Hey Tsukishima!” Sugawara said, smiling broadly, “I’d ask how your holidays have been, but then again… They’ve been pretty good, haven’t they?” He shot a cheeky sleazy side-eye at Kuroo and then _winked_ at Tsukishima.

Tsukishima had never felt more horrified because he (and everyone else) always forgot that along with Sugawara’s mother-hen nature was his ability to simultaneously stupefy and horrify his friends with embarrassment.

Kuroo, on the other hand, just laughed (and found it funnier when he saw the look on Tsukishima’s face) while Tsukishima narrowed his eyes at Sugawara.

“That was unneeded,” he said, as nonchalantly as he could despite knowing that his face was heating up.

“Don’t bully him too much,” Daichi said and Tsukishima wondered why the two weren’t married and living together yet – they were already parents to pretty much all of their friends.

“He deserves to be embarrassed more.” Kageyama said, shooting him a stink-eye (honestly, they hadn’t liked each other from the get-go, but Kageyama had disliked him even more since that one time that Tsukishima had decided to show Hinata some _niceness_ so that he would leave him alone but the plan had horribly backfired – it was one of the reasons why Hinata always bounded to him happily despite the rocky start to their friendship).

Tsukishima narrowed his eyes at Kageyama. He was about to bite back because Kageyama had always been a little shit but then –

“Why are you always so mean, Tobio?”

Kageyama’s gaze snapped over to who’d just spoken and his expression became even more stale. At first, Tsukishima had been irked by Oikawa Tooru but having Kageyama immediately sour upon seeing him gave him some good points in his books.

“Oikawa,” Kageyama greeted reluctantly before respectfully saying, “Iwaizumi.”

“Hey,” Iwaizumi replied back before nodding around the group, “and hey everyone. Glad to be here and see all of you.”

While Oikawa was having fun tormenting both Kageyama and Hinata (“Chibi, I think that you’ve actually managed to _shrink_!”), Iwaizumi stood to the side and talked for a little bit with Daichi.

Tsukishima turned to Kuroo beside him, “This is so hectic.”

Kuroo’s lips curved up, “Don’t even try to sound like you dislike everyone here.”

Tsukishima rolled his eyes, blushing a little. “Honestly, if they ever find out that I don’t hate them, I’m hunting you down.”

Kuroo grinned, “Sounds kinky,” he murmured smugly.

Tsukishima face-palmed, “You’re unbelievable,” he whispered in agony.

“Ken!” They suddenly heard a voice call.

Tsukishima was glad for the distraction from his heating face. Their group turned and found Bokuto, Akaashi and Kenma. Bokuto and Akaashi were matching in their black suits and yellow ties and Kenma was wearing a red tie over his white shirt.

It was Lev who had called out to them and he was bounding over now with Hinata close to his heels (which meant that Kageyama was too). Seeing Lev crowd right into Kenma’s space highlighted the staggering difference between their heights. It looked like Lev was about to reach to lift Kenma up but then Kenma’s small hands, lightning quick, intercepted Lev’s grab and lightly slapped at them. He murmured something quietly and Lev laughed before apologising loudly. He was shoved to the side as Hinata started talking excitedly with larger than life hand gestures, his facial expression changing practically every second.

Bokuto and Akaashi gave their own greetings before Bokuto looked eagerly around. When he spotted Kuroo and Tsukishima with college friends, he immediately perked up and called out, “My fam!!” before he was eagerly flying over.

“Bro, I know you told me you two’d be matching but this is honestly so beautiful – the blue really _does_ bring out his eyes, doesn’t it?” Bokuto said, looking Tsukishima’s outfit up and down in friendly approval.

“Right?” Kuroo replied before Akaashi appeared, having walked over at a normal and leisurely pace after his boyfriend, “And yo man, yours and Akaashi’s matching ties are bomb.”

Tsukishima rolled his eyes though he was completely endeared by how stupidly frat-boy-like and ‘bro’-ish they got around one another. Akaashi met his eye and they both shared a secret, long-suffering, ‘They’re _idiots_ , aren’t they?’ look.

Soon, more guests arrived that Tsukishima knew.

“Oh Tsukishima, hey!” Nishinoya said to him as he grinned and slapped his back.

Tsukishima jolted a little forward at the hit but he honestly didn’t mind. Though Nishinoya got on along with Hinata and Tanaka like a house on fire, Tsukishima liked him. They’d had a group project once and he’d been the most reliable partner that Tsukishima had ever had. Tsukishima respected him because of that (plus, he was his upperclassman).

He gave a polite and friendly nod of his head, “Hey, how are you?”

They chatted for a bit (with Tanaka interrupting them and Asahi contributing to the conversation at times) before Nishonoya went to go and converse with Sugawara and Daichi. Tsukishima huffed a soft laugh when Asahi trailed after Nishinoya.

“Oh, Kuroo, Tsukki.”

They turned as they were once again greeted by newcomers. Their group was slowly growing bigger and even now, it still baffled Tsukishima that they he and Kuroo hadn’t met sooner – this whole group was practically one big conjoined friendship group and they’d been a part of it the whole time.

“Hey Yachi,” Tsukishima said politely just as Kuroo wrapped an arm around her neck and pulled her down so that he had her in a headlock. It looked light but Yachi still struggled against him.

“Kuroo,” she struggled out while he grinned.

“Are you okay?” Asked another voice.

Tsukishima turned and found a beautiful raven-haired girl with thin-rimmed glasses.

Yachi’s face went red, “I-I’m good, I’m used to this, I just need… to – ” After another second, Kuroo relented against her struggles and let go.

“I told you to stop doing that!” Yachi squeaked.

Kuroo laughed, “Yeah, yeah, I will.” (He was totally lying and everyone knew it).

“That was so embarrassing, I’m so sorry and just when I was finally going to introduce you to everyone and now I look so lame and oh my gosh is my hair ruined, I’m so sorry Shimizu!” Yachi suddenly blurted out in a slurred string of words.

“One word at a time please, Yachi.” Shimizu said with a warm smile.

Yachi blushed at her and then took a deep breath.

“Um, Kuroo, Tsukishima, this is Shimizu, my girlfriend.” Her face was completely red.

Kuroo brightened at the title, “The girlfriend that you’ve been seeing for 4 months now?”

Shimizu nodded, looking completely embarrassed, “We finally decided to go public.”

“Nice to meet you.” Shimizu said, “Yachi’s told me a lot about you.” She shook their hands and though she’d given a slightly sharp look at Kuroo since he _had_ just head-locked Yachi, she soon warmed up to him when he started telling her embarrassing work stories about her girlfriend.

“Tsukki, _stop_ him,” Yachi groaned at him quietly, “This is so embarrassing!”

Tsukishima felt a soft, amused smirk grace his face. He was enjoying Yachi’s embarrassment, too, so why would he?

Yachi stuck out her bottom lip and gave him wide, pleading puppy-dog eyes.

Tsukishima huffed out a small breath of amusement before he was rolling his eyes.

“That’s probably enough embarrassing Yachi,” He said as he nudged Kuroo softly.

Kuroo raised a brow at him – he was just starting to wonder when Tsukishima was so nice but then said boyfriend turned to said Yachi and said, “ – for now,” with an smug expression of his own.

Yachi made a small squeaking sound and Kuroo grinned. He took Tsukishima’s hand in his and gave it a light squeeze as he proudly said, “ _There’s_ my boyfriend.”

“You’re both so mean!” Yachi said as she hid a little behind Shimizu.

“An evil power couple.” Shimizu murmured. She sounded rather impressed.

“What do you mean?” Kuroo asked, placing his hand atop his heart, “We’re always kind.”

“You mean you’re being gross, as usual.” Oikawa said as he came over to them, sticking his tongue out as he eyed their held hands. “And if it isn’t little Yachi,” he started. Kuroo knew that Oikawa honestly did like Yachi because she was so see-through and tell-tale but he also knew that Yachi was kind of intimidated by him because she’d seen his intense side (though they _were_ friends).

“H-Hi,” she stammered out, still behind Shimizu. It was funny how shy she was, hiding behind her girlfriend, when Shimizu practically didn’t know any of them (though Kuroo had seen her waving at Sugawara and Daichi – Nishinoya and Tanaka gave her dopey smiles and waves, too).

“And this is your girlfriend? Hi, I’m Oikawa – you’re pretty. Good catch, Yachi!”

Yachi perked up at the compliment on behalf of her girlfriend and gave him a shy, small grin, “She is pretty!” She exclaimed.

They talked for a few moments longer before their group split onto two different round tables.

There wasn’t any set course of meals since Yaku and Lev had decided that that would be way too formal and that just wasn’t their style, but there was a food table with different sorts of food on it that you could serve yourself from.

All of them chatted around the tables and Tsukishima found himself rolling his eyes a lot (what was new?) since Kuroo and Bokuto sat directly next to one another. There were many times when he and Akaashi would give each other sympathetic looks. Luckily, Hinata was on the other table with Kageyama, Oikawa, Iwaizumi and Yachi with Shimizu. Tsukishima smirked in relief at how he was grateful for not being on that table. His seemed to be more sensible (if you excluded Kuroo, Bokuto, Nishonoya and Tanaka) with Sugawara, Daichi, Asahi and Akaashi.

They laughed about stupid things and about college and life as they ate until Lev suddenly stood from the table out the front (where his direct family and Yaku’s sat).

“Now that we’re all gathered here, by the way,” he started, grinning like a Cheshire cat, “we should all play couple games! If you don’t have a significant other, then grab a random partner and let the games begin!!!”

“Ohoho!” Bokuto hooted, turning to Akaashi with determined stars in his eyes, “We’re going to _win_!”

Kuroo scoffed and leaned toward Tsukishima, “In your dreams, man. Tsukki and I are going to.”

“I think you’ll have a hard time claiming victory.” Sugawara suddenly piped up, smiling though his eyes weren’t.

“Oh yeah, Suga-mama?” Nishinoya exclaimed, “Bring it on!”

“Yeah, prepare to taste defeat!” Tanaka said just as he placed a hand on Nishinoya’s shoulder. This was awkward because at that exact moment, Nishonoya placed a hand on Asahi’s.

Tanaka, Nishonoya and Asahi all paused.

“I don’t really want to compete,” Asahi said with a smile, “I’m fine with just watching.”

“Bro, did you betray me?” Tanaka whined.

“No bro, but you already have a partner! There’s a pretty girl right over there!” Nishonoya said and nodded his head in a general direction.

Tanaka piped up but as soon as he turned, his face immediately soured. It was his sister, Saeko, that was waving at him.

“No, _bro_.” Tanaka started.

“I’m going with Asahi man, I’m sorry my bro but I have already chosen another.”

“My bro, _no_.”

“Forgive me, my dude.”

Daichi huffed in amusement at them and then petted Sugawara’s arm, “Let’s not get _too_ competitive.” He said softly, remembering the time that he’d brought Sugawara to play Bingo one time at his grandmother’s nursing home (and he’d thought the Bingo ladies were relentless).

“Do those wanting to compete all have their pairs?” Lev asked before pausing to wait for any interjections. After there weren’t any, he grinned as he motioned for them to come up, “Then get on out here – we also have a prize for the number one couple and the runner up!”

When all the partners were lined up, Tsukishima was surprised to find that he knew most of the pairs competing though there were a few that he didn’t – family and other colleagues of Lev’s and Yaku’s.

He sighed as he stepped up, “This is stupid, you know that right?”

Kuroo grinned at him, “Stop being a spoilsport and help your boyfriend prove that we’re the best couple here.”

Tsukishima felt his lips twitch up but he rolled his eyes anyway, “Fine, but you owe me if you _really_ want me to compete.”

Kuroo smirked then, “Oh yeah, what did you want in return?” And that… That came out huskier than Tsukishima thought it would.

He felt his cheeks heat up and he narrowed his eyes at Kuroo, “This – This is _so_ not the right time for that.” He chastised weakly.

Kuroo chuckled and pressed a kiss to Tsukishima’s cheek. As soon as he pulled away, Tsukishima heard a ‘bleh’ sound come from his side and when he turned, he found Oikawa looking at them with disgust. As expected, Iwaizumi was standing with him.

Tsukishima took this moment to glance around at the other pairs though.

Lev and Yaku were competing, as well as Hinata and Kageyama, Yachi and Shimizu, Tanaka and his sister (he looked so upset and she looked so satisfied), Nishinoya and Asahi, Sugawara and Daichi, Bokuto and Akaashi and others, too.

“Yaku and I will be competing, too! Only if we do win, we won’t be receiving the prize since we thought that’d be uncool after all your nice gifts.” Lev grinned. “But we thought that the best game to kick this off would be The Newlywed Game – I know, I know, we’re not married _yet_ but it’s still a fun game.”

“For those of you who don’t know the rules of the game, couples sit across from one another and are asked questions about one another. Whoever is being asked the question has to guess their partner’s answer while their partner writes it down. Afterwards, the couple reveals their answer at the same time and if your answers are the same as one another’s then you get a point.” Yaku explained. During this time, there had been helping hands to set up the chairs on the open space of the dance floor.

Tsukishima was kind of nervous. Kuroo had told him once that Oikawa and Iwaizumi had been best friends since childhood, that Daichi and Sugawara had known each other since middle school and that Yaku and Lev were practically soulmates. He and Kuroo had only been dating for a small amount of time in comparison. What if they didn’t know any of the answers about one another?

Suddenly, Kuroo squeezed his hand as they walked to a set of chairs facing one another.

“Nervous?”

Tsukishima gave a small nod, “A little. We might do really shit at this.”

Kuroo shrugged and grinned, “It’ll be a good learning experience if that’s the case.”

So optimistic.

But Tsukishima found himself calming down a little when they sat down and Kuroo was seated in front of him, lounging comfortably on the chair, care-free and confident as he always was. It soothed Tsukishima.

They were soon given markers and slips of paper.

“Hello, I’ll be reading out the questions for this game! For those of you who don’t know me, I’m Alisa     , Lev’s older sister.” A girl with long, silky hair and a small face said, smiling and looking like a doll.

“Ready? Okay, I’ll ask Line 1 a question about their partner first.”

Tsukishima sat up straighter. This was Kuroo’s question so he’d have to try to guess Tsukishima’s answer.

“What is your partner’s favourite candy?”

Tsukishima instantly smirked just as Kuroo did. Kuroo _knew_ this, how could he not? If he got the wrong answer, Tsukishima would _wring_ him. He wrote his own answer down and waited.

“And now let’s reveal the answers!” Alisa said.

There were some groans and some exclamations of excitement as answers were shown but Tsukishima only smiled when Kuroo grinned at him as they turned their cards at one another to reveal, in their own writing, two pairs of ‘candy corn’.

The next question was asked to Tsukishima’s line.

“What is something your partner has too much of?”

Tsukishima frowned a little before he snorted and scribbled down ‘clothes’. When Kuroo turned his card and ‘clothes’ was written on it, Tsukishima’s lips tilted up in a half-smirk, half-smile.

The next question was ‘What is your partner’s favourite book?’

Kuroo made a face at that question and Tsukishima breathed out a laugh because that was the worst question he could have been asked. They had talked about so many books at the start of their friendship and Tsukishima had never mentioned a favourite although he had highly praised so many of them. He had many favourites and the book that held that spot was always changing depending on what he was reading.

“Are we ready to reveal answers?” Alisa asked as those who weren’t participating watched on in good fun.

Kuroo bit his lip and frowned for a few moments (it was cute) before he scribbled his answer. He scrunched his face up and shrugged over at Tsukishima though he looked oddly satisfied. Tsukishima found out why when they were allowed to turn their cards over. Kuroo had written, _Equus_ and, ironically, Tsukishima had written _Equus_ too because it had been an impossible question and he might as well have fun with the game then.

Kuroo blinked and Tsukishima did too before they were laughing softly at their stupid coincidence. Another point.

There were a few more questions and, as expected, Tsukishima and Kuroo slipped up here and there because they were still in the process of getting to completely know one another but they did better than they’d expected.

Unexpectedly yet completely as expected, Oikawa and Iwaizumi won – everyone knew that they’d been best friends since they were infants and pretty much dating since they could talk. Oikawa was teasing Hinata and Kageyama for getting answers wrong (Tsukishima was still so confused about them, though – why weren’t they _dating_ yet?) and Iwaizumi was looking secretly smug despite making disgusted faces at his boyfriend like he was disappointed that they’d gotten all the questions correct.

Yaku and Lev had only missed out on one and even though Lev whined at the loss, Yaku laughed and held his hand and his spirits were raised once again.

“We didn’t do too bad.” Kuroo said.

Tsukishima nodded.

“And I _knew_ your favourite book was _Equus_.”

Tsukishima breathed out a light laugh before pointing out, “ _Equus_ is a _play_ , actually.”

Kuroo grinned and rolled his eyes with mock drama.

“And for this next game,” Alisa suddenly announced to the pairs, “we’ll need one of you to move right off from the dance floor. To spice it up, please choose the most confident of the two of you!”

Tsukishima and Kuroo looked at one another – Tsukishima, with a raised brow and Kuroo with a knowing grin.

“Go ahead then.” Tsukishima said.

Kuroo patted Tsukishima’s chest twice as he started to move to the side, “I got this, babe.”

Tsukishima snorted at the pet name and at the way that Kuroo was starting to throw snide competitive remarks back and forth with Bokuto.

“And now, all of you partners on the dance floor, take the brown paper bag handed to you, line up at the edge of the dance floor and then please put it over your head.”

Tsukishima frowned. _What_?

He could hear Kuroo laughing from the other side along with Bokuto.

Akaashi and he met eyes but sighed as they both did it anyway. Tsukishima felt _stupid_ when he was standing in a line with the other partners as they put brown paper bags over their heads. He couldn’t see anything around him and could only hear the other half of their partners laughing and making stupid remarks – one of them even cat-whistled and if Tsukishima found out that that had been Kuroo, then he would _punch_ him.

“Now, all you bag-less partners, could you please randomly space yourselves on the dance floor?”

Tsukishima heard footsteps over the light music playing (turned down a little for the games) before it stopped.

“I haven’t explained the aim of the game yet, have I?” Alisa said, sounding cheeky.

Tsukishima inwardly groaned.

“The partners with the bags on their heads will have to walk around the dance floor and try to feel out the other half of their pair! When you think you’ve found your pair, then please put your arm up!” She sounded giddy about it and Tsukishima felt anything but.

Tsukishima wanted to rip the bag from his head. They had to _feel out_ their partner? That meant that he’d have to _feel up_ multiple people _that he knew_ so that he could pick out Kuroo. He grimaced underneath the bag. This would be horrifying.

“Well, let’s begin!” Alisa exclaimed, “And the game… starts… now!”

Tsukishima stepped forward and felt the two others at his side do so as well. He didn’t even know where the other halves of their pairs were spread, he had no idea where he was going so he put his arms out and felt like a _complete idiot_. He could hear some people with bags on their head murmur about where they were going. There was the occasional, “Oops sorry, I’ve got a bag on my head too,” when two people with bags over their heads accidentally reached out to one another.

Soon enough, Tsukishima found someone (whoever the fuck it was). Tsukishima murmured a quick, “Sorry,” before he was petting this person on the head. No. Too short.

He moved on and found yet another person that was too short – the hair was too flat, too. Tsukishima had always secretly enjoyed Kuroo’s wild hair and now he had a new appreciation for it. It would make finding him out way easier.

“And Lev and Yaku are in first place! Oop, nope, don’t take your paper bags off just yet, we’re going to play this through so that other pairs can earn points, too!”

Tsukishima groaned and ran into yet another person.

This person was tall and their hair was a little spiky but this wasn’t Kuroo. He took his hand off and just as he did, there was a small whisper from the person.

“Doing good, Tsukki!” That was definitely Bokuto.

Tsukishima huffed out a laugh underneath the paper bag and realised that Bokuto wouldn’t be able to see him. Instead, he gave him a thumbs up and went along.

Three more pairs finished and Tsukishima was starting to feel like this was stupid and he would never find Kuroo.

But then he placed his hand up around where he thought Kuroo’s face would be and – he found face. He reached up and found spiky hair, soft in the way that Kuroo’s was and with only a little bit of product (after all, Kuroo’s hair was naturally a mess, anyway). Tsukishima frowned. This definitely felt like Kuroo. Just in case, he patted this person’s face a little and – blushing – felt near the shoulder and collarbones. Suit vest – that was a suit vest! Kuroo was wearing a suit vest. He put his arm up and soon enough, after a few moments, the bag was gently pulled from his head to reveal Kuroo grinning at him.

“And another pair!” Alisa exclaimed.

Tsukishima ignored her and breathed in amusement.

“Good job, Tsukki. Nice sneaky feel of the vest, too.” Kuroo said, taking his hand and squeezing it.

Tsukishima squeezed back and rolled his eyes, “The only time I’ll ever be grateful that suit vests are a thing.”

“They’re _fashionable_ , Tsukishima. Understand that.”

Tsukishima rolled his eyes at his teasing.

They moved to the side and watched the rest of the pairs play the game with the rest of those who had already finished. Alisa didn’t let it go on until they’d all finished, though. Once half of the pairs had moved off to the side, she called the game off so that they could move on to the third and final game.

“We’ve saved the best for last,” Alisa announced with a cheeky grin. “All you’ll need for this one is some lipstick – which we have very happily provided!” She shook a small basket at them before passing it down to someone who then came along and passed it around. “Please pass the basket around and take one of the lipsticks!”

Once each couple had a lipstick – Kuroo had snatched up a dark red one with a grin – Alisa grinned wide and explained the rules.

“So here’s how this game will go! It’s called the Kiss-Off,” there was a gleam of mischief in her eyes, “and one of you will put the lipstick on. Once a good layer of lipstick is on, then we’ll start the count-down of 10 seconds to see how many kisses the partner with lipstick on can get on the face of their partner!” She squealed this out in excitement before adding, “Vague marks won’t be counted!”

Tsukishima groaned and placed his heating up face in one of his hands as Kuroo laughed at his side. This would be so embarrassing, no matter which role he played.

“Red’s more my colour,” Kuroo piped up, “so I can do the kissing part if you’re alright with that?”

Tsukishima peeked out from his hand at Kuroo who was looking at him looking both amused and endeared. Tsukishima let out another groan and Kuroo’s expression only sweetened. He moved his head in a reluctant nod and heard Kuroo huff in amusement before he felt fingers start to pry his hand from his face.

Tsukishima let Kuroo pull his hand from his face but that didn’t stop him from making a sour face about this whole thing.

“Want to apply my lipstick?” Kuroo asked, teasing.

Tsukishima gave him a dead-pan look and Kuroo snorted before uncapping the lipstick and turning it at its end so that the dark red colour came up from the casing.

Kuroo raised a brow at it, “Yeah this is definitely my colour.”

“It matches your tattoos.” Tsukishima murmured.

Kuroo nodded before he was putting it on. He did a surprisingly good job of it, too. It wasn’t all over the place (like Hinata’s was) and it somehow suited him.

Kuroo took out his phone and looked in his front-facing camera before laughing and grinning at himself. Tsukishima’s lip tilted up to one side in an amused smirk, too.

He didn’t expect it at all but Kuroo suddenly turned so that they were both in the frame. He quickly took the photo just as Tsukishima realised that he was.

“Kuroo, no,” Tsukishima whined a little. He weakly tried to grab at his phone but Kuroo wouldn’t let him. He turned his body away from him and he tapped on his phone a few more times before he suddenly guffawed (this drew some of the attention of the couples – Kuroo’s guffaw was a _guffaw_ – but a number of them were still preoccupied with the lipstick application).

Tsukishima’s face flushed as Kuroo held his phone up for him to see.

He felt _even more_ embarrassed (if that was possible) after seeing the photo. Because of course Kuroo looked flawless even with the stark line of lipstick on his lips and of course Tsukishima himself _looked stupid_. His eyes were a little wide with realisation and his whole face was just a mix of different things going on all at once because of his surprise and Kuroo having taken the photo at the _exact_ right time.

“That’s one for the albums.” Kuroo said, sounding completely satisfied.

“It’s a really bad photo, Kuroo.” Tsukishima groaned, biting his lip.

Kuroo would have laughed more at his expense if Alisa hadn’t interrupted them with her enthusiasm for this game.

“Let’s get started! I’ll do a countdown, call go and then you can get to kissing! Everyone ready?” She paused and looked around for a moment before grinning and saying, “Okay, here we go! Three… Two… One… Go!”

Tsukishima felt Kuroo’s hands softly grasp at him with his fingers lightly resting at his neck and his thumbs cupping his jaw before his lips were pressing _everywhere_ along the skin of his face – or, at least, everywhere that he could get within the 10 second time limit. Tsukishima was glad that Kuroo attacked his cheeks first because he could already feel them heating up completely as Kuroo pressed kiss after kiss on his face; this way they could hide some of his embarrassment because this was _horrifying_. His own hands were gripping at Kuroo’s arms and his eyes were screwed shut – he could hear Kuroo laughing in between kisses mixed in with the beating of his heart loud in his ears. This was _stupid stupid stupid_ because it was just a game but Tsukishima was so _embarrassed_ –

“Time’s up!”

Suddenly Kuroo stopped and Tsukishima let out a long breath, unaware that he’d even been holding it.

He opened his eyes too and found Kuroo laughing, on the verge of his stupid guffawing laugh. Tsukishima bit his lip, his face feeling as hot as the sun on his skin on a summer’s day.

Tsukishima warily glanced around and found the other competitors in a similar state – all laughing and enjoying themselves. It helped lessen Tsukishima’s embarrassment, to see Kageyama, Iwaizumi, Daichi, Lev, Akaashi, Yachi and so on with lipstick kiss marks scattered all over their faces in a mess. His own lips tilted up before he found himself laughing quietly, not minding so much that he probably looked just as bad as they did.

“You look like a mess, Tsukki,” Kuroo said, once he’d finally stopped laughing. He was grinning instead and still looked completely satisfied with himself.

“Okay, now please count your kisses!”

Kuroo smirked and did so before announcing to him, “I got 18,” with a stupidly pleased countenance.

After Alisa had managed to round up everyone’s scores, she announced, “And the winners are Bokuto and Akaashi with an insane score of 25!”

Kuroo barked out a laugh while Tsukishima snorted. The two were standing directly next to them and Akaashi looked like he didn’t know whether to be pleased, embarrassed or disappointed while Bokuto was loudly hooting his victory. When Tsukishima thought about it, their winning The Kiss-Off was unsurprising. There had been multiple occasions in which Tsukishima had seen Bokuto press a lightning quick kiss to Akaashi’s face before bolting off or just because he could. He was _practiced_.

“And the games are finished!” Alisa called. “We’ll tally up all the scores and announce winners soon!”

It didn’t take long – just as Tsukishima had managed to wipe off the lipstick stains (after Kuroo had taken _another_ photo of the both of them), Alisa was back up with results.

Third place went to Sugawara and Daichi – even though they hadn’t won any of the games, they’d been consistently good throughout all three. Second place went to Lev and Yaku and even though there was the runner-up prize, that was instead given to Sugawara and Daichi. Then lastly, first place went to Oikawa and Iwaizumi. Everyone had kind of suspected it – they’d been dating the longest after all, and that was after years and years of friendship and growing up with each other.

Iwaizumi made a disgusted expression when Oikawa tried to reel him in with a victory kiss – he reacted by pushing him away with his hand on his face. Tsukishima snorted at that as they received their prize.

“Thanks for competing, guys!” Lev called before Alisa kicked him and took over the microphone again.

“Thanks for competing!” She said, “The rest of the night will be pretty laid back and now the dance floor can be used for dancing again.”

Kuroo raised a brow at Tsukishima and then down at the dance floor, “Look at that, we’re on the dance floor, Tsukki. Fancy a dance?”

Tsukishima snorted, “I can’t – ”

“Don’t say you can’t dance,” Kuroo said and took his hand, “I forgave you about the whole cheesy crust thing but you can’t _not_ dance with me.”

Tsukishima rolled his eyes and he didn’t reply for a second or so, as Kuroo’s fingers fiddled with his own, before he decided to relent, “Fine. We’ll dance.”

Kuroo grinned and then he gently pulled Tsukishima to him. Tsukishima didn’t protest against the action and let his head rest gently aside Kuroo’s, “I can’t believe we just competed in a stupid couple thing. It was surprisingly fun.” Tsukishima said gently into Kuroo’s shoulder. There was no music on yet but Tsukishima could see Alisa fussing about what kind of music to play so there would be some soon.

Slowly, a soft song began to trickle in and Tsukishima groaned. A _slow song_.

He _knew_ that Kuroo was grinning, even without him having to see his face.

“A nice slow song to start us off,” Alisa announced as more couples began to trickle onto the dance floor.

“This is horrible,” Tsukishima muttered.

Kuroo laughed even as one of his hands went to Tsukishima’s waist and the other held his hand, “At least we have matching ties – ” Kuroo said with a smug grin, “that makes us look cooler.”

Tsukishima felt his lips tug up as he breathed out a laugh, “Because matching ties make everything better in Kuroo’s world.” They were slowly moving around to the song and Tsukishima was avoiding looking around lest he see all the other couples slowly dancing – he kept his face turned in to the junction in between Kuroo’s neck and shoulder.

“Especially when said matching ties are with my lame dorky boyfriend who’s too interested in dinosaurs for his own good.”

“Shut up.”

“But you aren’t half bad at dancing, Tsukki.” Kuroo said.

“We’re literally just swaying.”

“But you’re not stepping on my feet, so that’s a good tell that you’re _talented_.”

He jinxed it. As soon as the words had left Kuroo’s lips, Tsukishima accidentally stepped on the toes of his feet. He felt his face heat as Kuroo laughed against him – his face warmed even more when he could _feel_ Kuroo’s laugh from how close they were, from how close he was to his neck.

“I saw that misstep,” came a sudden whisper.

Tsukishima flinched a little, surprised and not having expected someone to interrupt what felt like a personal space but when he turned and found Bokuto grinning at him as well as Akaashi looking amused, his face remained heated as he frowned at them and shot them his rude finger.

Akaashi raised a brow as Bokuto laughed. Kuroo was laughing too but the way he squeezed his hand softly made up for it.

Soon enough, there came more energetic songs.

Tsukishima _hated_ them – he could get away with swaying from side to side during slow songs but faster songs created more opportunity for embarrassment. There were more beats he had to move to and more movement was _dreadful_.

Especially since Kuroo seemed to move naturally to the beat. Tsukishima was just glad that Kuroo would help him out when he felt especially awkward during some parts of some of the songs.

“I think one more song and then I’m done.” Tsukishima said after a few good songs of dancing, pulling lightly at his tie.

“Yeah me too, we haven’t had a seat since the couple’s competition and I’m _beat_ , Tsukki.”

Tsukishima snorted at the pun (Kuroo looked wildly proud of himself) before he prepared himself for the next song as the current one stopped playing. His brows lifted in surprise when a slower melody started up.

“Thank God, there is such a thing as mercy.” Kuroo murmured as they once again moved closer and as Kuroo’s hand rested on Tsukishima’s waist and as Tsukishima’s came up on to Kuroo’s shoulder.

Tsukishima breathed out against him, “I could fall asleep right now.” He took the chance to almost melt against Kuroo and use him to hold himself up.

Kuroo, knowing so, breathed out in amusement, “Are you just leaning against me to keep standing?”

“Yeah.” Tsukishima answered unashamedly, his lips curving – hidden against Kuroo’s shoulder. They swayed softly with one another and despite the slow song and how gently they were dancing, Tsukishima’s heart was still beating lightning quick like a hummingbird’s.

God, he was quickly becoming a huge sap. Especially when Kuroo’s fingers squeezed his own and he automatically squeezed back, almost sighing into Kuroo who was warm and _comfortable_.

He hadn’t really considered how quickly they had started dating compared to what he’d thought would happen. He thought that he’d go through years of friendship first before falling into dating but Kuroo and he had officially met at the start of college summer holidays and that was just about coming to an end. A few months – that’s all that it had taken.

It made him think of Kuroo’s _stupid_ sleepy murmuring of The L Word. He’d thought about that endlessly since Kuroo had said it and even though it made him nervous as hell, it was somehow inevitably right, too. He was sure that Kuroo didn’t remember it at all because Kuroo’s character wasn’t like that – unlike Tsukishima, he dealt with things head-on and didn’t let them linger in his thoughts. But Tsukishima was definitely someone who let things linger in his head. For instance, The L Word had been lingering this whole time. He didn’t know how he should react to it – he knew he didn’t have to but that wouldn’t feel right because The L Word was _big_ and shouldn’t be ignored.

He just didn’t know how to deal with it – or, at least, he hadn’t. Until now.

They were at an engagement party for God’s sake. They were slow-dancing. They were dating.

They were in _‘The L Word_ ’.

Tsukishima screwed his eyes shut, suddenly zeroing in on how clammy his hands felt in Kuroo’s, how hard his heart was working in his chest, how suddenly hot his face was.

He took a moment to take in a shaky breath because this was _stupidstupidstupid_ as he turned his face into Kuroo’s neck and murmured three miniscule words that were also probably the three biggest words he had ever said.

 

* * *

 

Kuroo had been enjoying the slow dance coupled with Tsukishima swaying slowly with and against him. He’d been enjoying the whole entire day because he’d caught up with friends at the engagement party, had fun partaking in the couple’s competition and now he was content because he was dancing with his stupid, dorky boyfriend.

He’d been practically _drifting_ , the only thing grounding him being Tsukishima.

He’d been feeling completely peaceful but suddenly – he _stilled_. Stilled with his hands on Tsukishima’s waist, his fingers gripping just a little bit tighter onto his hand.

They’d stopped dancing amongst everyone else still dancing, but he… He’d heard a small murmur against his shoulder. And he – he didn’t want to be presumptuous but he could have sworn… He pulled back so that he could meet Tsukishima’s eyes and when he found his pale face blooming with red, his eyes as wide as a deer’s when caught in headlights, Kuroo swallowed a sudden lump in his throat before he shakily asked, “Did you… Did you just say – ?”

But then Tsukishima threw a punch right into Kuroo’s abdomen before he practically ripped himself from Kuroo and then strode away.

Kuroo coughed a little, surprised, with other couples glancing at them curiously. That was such a defensive punch that it could only mean one thing. Tsukishima _had_ said what he’d thought he’d said. His heartbeat was flipping _out_. After a moment of quick recovery, Kuroo slowly grinned at the realisation that _Tsukishima had said it first_ before he jogged after his shoulder-hunched boyfriend.

He grabbed up his hand in his, ecstatic, and then said quietly as he leaned over, “Me too.”

Tsukishima threw him a violent glare which wasn’t intimidating at all, rosy red splotches still blooming across the whole of his face, “I know.” He practically bit out. His biting countenance only made Kuroo grin harder because he found it endearing how Tsukishima got defensive when he felt embarrassed about sappy things.

“You knew, huh?” Kuroo teased.

Tsukishima huffed out a breath. He paused and then suddenly he was looking down at their conjoined hands like he wanted to fiddle with his fingers as he always did when he was nervous. “You… You already said it.”

Kuroo blinked. _Huh?_

“You were half-asleep though.”

Kuroo blinked again, trying to search for _the moment_ in his head but frowned a little when he couldn’t remember it.

“But if you didn’t mean it when you said it, then that’s fine. You can just ignore me saying it or accept it or whatever so – ”

Kuroo frowned more, “Ignore it? Why would you think I’d want to do that?”

Tsukishima looked like he wanted to pinch his fingers with how nervous he looked. But he shrugged anyway, trying to act less shaky than what he felt, “I’m just giving you the option.”

Kuroo didn’t say anything for a few moments before his lips curved up to one side in a soft, lopsided smile. If Tsukishima had said all this at the start of their relationship, Kuroo would have reacted completely different. He would have been offended, thinking that Tsukishima was treating their relationship indifferently. But he knew the difference now. And Tsukishima was an _idiot_. Kuroo said so aloud and his smile turned into a grin when Tsukishima’s gaze snapped up to softly glare at him. Despite the glare, he still looked embarrassed, with their hands tied together and his face awash with a blush.

Kuroo laughed at how cute it was, with his heart warm and full as he once again gave Tsukishima’s hand a strong squeeze, “How could you not know that I’d be _way_ okay with you telling me that you love me? Really, Tsukki – you’re an idiot. I’m over the moon for you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> holy fucking shit, its DONE.
> 
> Thank you to all of you for reading this fic! This is by far my longest writing commitment (this whole thing on word amounted to 164 pages and 61,237 words!!!) and it was honestly really hard to keep up with it but I'm ecstatic that I did! Thank you for all of your lovely, supportive comments and your kudos that kept this fic going. ♡♡
> 
> This was meant to be shorter than what it turned out to be but this has been a blast - I'll still be writing fanfics (definitely shorter ones since I'll be going into my second year of college this year), but still, thank you (once again, for like, the millionth time) for being there throughout the whole of 'Over the moon'.
> 
> ♡♡♡
> 
> ([my tumblr](http://harehi.tumblr.com))  
> ([my twitter - which i might finally use more!](http://twitter.com/jyioy))


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